Knights of the Republic (Prequel Era story)
by Illuviar
Summary: Can two Jedi Masters from an age long past save the Republic? Could they prevent the Clone Wars and the formation of the Galactic Empire? Or perhaps their best intentions would expose the darker side of the Republic and throw the galaxy into a conflict for its very soul...
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Wars movies, TV series, books, comics or games. They all belong to their respective creators and/or copyright owners. I make no money from this story. It's not for sale or rent.**

* * *

 **Prologue**

 **=KR=**

 **Part 1**

* * *

 **Royal Palace**

 **Theed**

 **Naboo**

When she got out of bed yesterday, Queen Padme Amidala didn't expect to receive a pair of... strange visitors. Yes, that was perhaps the best way to put it. The young monarch was delighted to host the confused and decidedly odd Jedi. Who would have thought that the distinguished looking older man and the boisterous redhead woman were married? Jedi weren't supposed to marry or have attachments, were they?

Still, the guests were delightful company and told fascinating tales of an age that was largely forgotten unless you were a scholar with interest in history.

"Captain, how fare our guests?" Amidala asked the Commander of her Royal Guard, when the dark skinned man appeared by her side.

"They were talking with the Jedi Council and retired only early in the morning. We're to expect more visitors – a Jedi Master Adi-Mundi, a Knight and their Padawan as well. They should arrive in the next few days."

"We'll be honoured by their presence." Amidala used the Royal we, even if personally she wasn't too fond of holding herself at a hands' length from her people as protocol dictated. "The Trade Federation?"

"We received another demand to remove any taxes and tolls from their ships passing through our system. This time there was a very emphatic 'or else' implied." The Commander answered in a long suffered deadpan tone.

"They're getting even bolder, then. This is not how a Republic members should act!" Amidala was unable to keep her righteous indignation out of her voice. She took a moment to smooth her bearing before continuing. "If they have problem with our taxes, then such a dispute should be solved through the proper channels. If they persist we will lodge a former complain both with the Ministry of Trade and the Senate if we have to!"

"I'm sure your ministers will be delighted to hear that, your Majesty." The Commander's tone did hold a hint of approval, Amidala thought.

"We certainly hope so." The Queen allowed.

In truth, there were members of her government who were eager to cave in to the Trade Federation's demands. Amidala wasn't sure if they were bought, thought that it might be for the best for some reason or were actually afraid of what the corporation might do. She found the latter unlikely even if rumours confirming it did reach her handmaidens, who among other things acted as an informal channel to quietly pass messages between the office of the Queen and her government.

"What is on the agenda for today?" Amidala asked. She did know the important points – meeting her government to formulate how to respond to the latest round of Trade Federation harassment, a working lunch with ambassadors from various close trade partners and a formal dinner with the Jedi lost in time as guests of honour. All that did leave her with hours of technically less important meetings and time set aside to file in all the paperwork required to ensure Naboo ran smoothly. When all was said and told, it was going to be another long day.

"Well, first you're meeting..."

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Guest suites**

 **Royal Palace**

 **Theed**

 **Naboo**

"Tell me it was all a dream. Please..." A soft female voice whispered.

A body shifted under silky sheets when Jedi Master Delkatar Veil awoke as he heard his wife's voice. He spooned behind her and pulled her into a warm embrace. "I don't think we're that lucky, love." The Force felt odd ever since they exited hyperspace thousands of light-years off-course and ended a few light hours from Naboo.

"Everyone's gone." The woman mumbled.

"I know. At least there are no more Sith running around."

"Silver lining as you're fond of saying?"

"The Queen didn't lie. So unless she's particularly uninformed, the galaxy has been in peace for nearly a thousand years." Delkatar continued. "That certainly sounds like the Sith weren't around."

"Master Yoda said the same thing. But you don't trust him." Kira pouted.

"I could sense his disapproval all the way here when he figured we were married. I don't trust anyone who has a problem with our marriage." The older Jedi Master declared.

"You've been saying that loud and clear to our Council for years. At least Satele came around." Kira smiled sadly. "I'm afraid to see what happened to all our friends." She admitted.

"Me too, dear. Me too. Any idea what should we do?"

"Try not to freak out too much?" Kira smiled wanly. "We'll meet Master Mundi and see for ourselves what the Council has in mind."

"I can't wait." Came the sarcastic response.

"Delkatar, you'll behave unless they really provoke you. I meant it!" A pointy elbow pocked him in the ribs.

"Ouch. I always behave!" Delkatar exclaimed. His warm breath tickled his wife's bare neck and sent pleasant shivers down her spine.

"That's what I'm afraid of." Kira singsonged. "Yet we usually end up dealing with shenanigans."

"I blame the Force. It's a safe bet." Warm fingers sneaked around Kira's midriff and Delkatar held her close.

"That's the best explanation of why we ended thousands of years in the future, intact." Kira sighed. "It's not so we can enjoy the peace and quiet after everything we've been through, is it?"

"With our luck?" Her husband snorted.

"There's no luck." Kira quoted.

"There's the Force and that's my point." Delkatar suddenly became serious. "For an age without Sith, the Dark Side sure is as strong as I could remember."

"You should know, Dark Jedi husband of mine." Kira pocked him with her elbow again. "The peace won't last, would it? I could feel it. There's tension in the air as if the galaxy is taking a deep breath before something changes."

"We arrived here for a reason." Delkatar agreed. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the Force. The Dark Side was like a veil thrown over the whole galaxy and it shrouded the future. It was uncomfortably similar to the days when the fates of the Republic and Sith Empire were balanced on a knife's edge.

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Part 2**

 **=KR=**

 **Bridge**

 **TFS Wraith**

 **High orbit above Naboo**

Nute Gunrey was nervous and did his best not to show it. He hadn't felt such amount of apprehension ever since he clawed his way out of the hell that was Neimodia. He was the Trade Federation's Viceroy. That was the highest position someone of his species could ever aspire to and Nute reached it years ago! He shouldn't have any reason to feel that way!

The Trade Federation was everything for the Neimoidians. The organization was their salvation and the one thing most of their people owed their allegiance to. That's why when the Republic in general and certain member systems in particular began levelling what the Trade Federation deemed unfair taxes and tolls, it infuriated and scared him. This was an attack both to his position, his person and the corporation he owed everything to and such a state of affairs could not be left unanswered.

Nevertheless, just a toll dispute wouldn't have brought Gunrey along with a powerful Trade Federation fleet. The risks were simply too great compared to the danger. A cost-benefit analysis done even by a foolish grub would have told the same tale. Yet, here he was, the Viceroy himself leading a blockade of another Republic member. Not for the first time, Nute wondered if it was a mistake to ally himself and the Trade Federation with a Sith. The promises of power, money and security were alluring and the Republic's policies didn't help matters. Everyone knew that the Senate was corrupt, Nute better than most. He had personally bribed multiple Senators in the past after all. A few were even honest and stayed bought.

It simply wasn't enough! Despite the Trade Federation's best efforts, the Senate passed laws raising taxes and tolls for entities like the Trade Federation. Other corporations, like the Techno Union and the Interstellar Commerce Guild felt the bite too.

This was a direct attack upon corporate entities with seats in the Senate, all in the name of fair and free trade. Bah! As if the Core Worlds cared about any of that. For the Trade Federation, which had most of its revenue coming from the Mid and Outer Rim, the new taxes could prove ruinous for the bottom line and they weren't alone. Many systems in those regions chaffed under legal bonds and tremendous soft power leveraged by the Core. While Gunrey usually wasn't really sympathetic about their plight – what did he care if it didn't benefit or hurt him!? However, this time it actually mattered. A response was mandated.

Still, a blockade of Naboo, the most recent offender that raised tolls, was beyond the pale. Even if the Federation actually had broad support in the Rim, the Core would likely walk all over them for such an overt display of defiance. That's where the Sith came in. Sidious promised that he could ensure the Senate and thus the Republic didn't react. Gunrey actually had proof of the Sith's influence – various minor laws either passed of failed just as he requested despite the Federation lacking the means to force the outcome. Another bill to further curtail corporate influence in the Senate went in limbo despite the corporations lacking the votes, either their own or bought, to actually block it.

Whoever Sidious was, he had real, tangible influence in the Senate, on Coruscant and thus right under the nose of the whole Jedi Order. That very idea terrified Gunrey and in the same time gave him confidence that this scheme could actually work.

He hoped so at least. Nute had invested too much to fail.

"Viceroy, we're being hailed by the Royal Palace. The Queen wishes to speak with you again." One of Gurney's aides spoke.

"Put her on." Nute allowed.

Hopefully the child monarch lost her nerve. He wasn't in a mood for another row of accusations and threats that she would report him to the Senate.

"Viceroy Gunrey." The chit's image glared at him.

Coming from her painted face it was almost fearsome, probably why she wore enough white and red make-up to make her face resemble a porcelain mask.

"Are you ready to surrender, your majesty?" Gunrey smiled. Surely there was no reason to be impolite at this stage. That would imply that he had something to fear.

"We were about to ask you the same." She replied coldly

"I hope you would reconsider sooner rather than later."

"We think not. We believe that we will let the Jedi speak with you." The child-queen actually smiled for the first time since the blockade formed yesterday.

"The Jedi? Why would they care?" Gunrey certainly hoped that the Senate wouldn't call them in. They scared him almost as much as the Sith.

"Perhaps because we've been hosting two of them as honoured guests for the past few days?" The Queen's response caught Nute flat-footed. He stared at the screen with a dawning sense of horror.

The Queen stepped back and someone new appeared on the screen. He was an ageing human man, if the greying hair and weathered face were anything to go by. He wore white armour with a symbol that was somewhat familiar. It was similar to that of the Jedi Order but not quite. For one, it was far more ornate and the shape of that sword...

"Greetings Viceroy Gunrey! I'm Jedi Master Delkatar Veil." The human smiled pleasantly and gave him a respectful bow. For some reason, Nute found that smile highly unsettling. "Would you kindly explain to me why your fleet is blockading Naboo, a peaceful member of the Galactic Republic?"

Gunrey wasn't sure what exactly it was, but he had no doubt that this human was a Jedi just like he never doubted the fact that Sidious was a Sith. Was it the way they carried themselves or something else? Nute never questioned it. He just knew the truth. It took all his experience not to blanch at the Jedi's kind tone. There weren't supposed to be any Jedi here!

"Master Jedi, it's good to make you an acquaintance." Nute began. His voice didn't break, right? "May I ask why is this dispute your concern? The Jedi haven't been sanctioned by the Republic to intervene." That was the case, right? It would take time for the Senate to gather and even without Sidious they couldn't have authorised the Jedi to intervene.

"What does that have to do with anything?" That kind voice... Why did it sound so disturbing?! "I am a Jedi and I can assure you, any hostile actions by anyone against Naboo would not be tolerated."

"I see." Gunrey said, though he really didn't. The Jedi were supposed to act within certain bonds. While this was somewhat grey area until the Senate decided something... The Jedi surely wouldn't do anything without sanction from Coruscant unless it was in self defence. Surely. "I believe that this dispute does not concern the Jedi Order. It is between Naboo and the Trade Federation."

"That may very well be the case. However, it does concern me, Viceroy."

The Jedi was surely bluffing. Right? Yes. He had to. He was a Jedi Master as he said. Someone like that wouldn't act without a Senate's say so. Didn't their Code forbid doing so or something?

"I'll get back to you, Master Veil. Have a nice day." Gunrey managed to keep his smile on until his aide terminated the connection. Only then he allowed himself to slump in his chair. "Contact Sidious!" He snapped.

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Part 3**

 **=KR=**

 **Senator Sheev Palpatine's office**

 **Senate building**

 **Coruscant**

Sidious entered his office soon after receiving a call from Nute Gunrey while he was at one of his safe-houses. Just as a vital part of the Sith's long term plans was finally coming into fruition, this had to happen! Jedi, oh how he loathed them and their impossible 'luck'. This shouldn't have happened!

The Dark Lord of the Sith spent too long planing and taking everything into account. He knew what all notable Jedi were supposed to be doing at this vital point of time and none of them should have been in any sector ever in the general vicinity of Naboo. He even engineered various trivial accidents that would nevertheless channel the Jedi's attention to different parts of the galaxy and now this!

While Sidious did have a reason to believe Gunrey's information wasn't entirely correct, there was no Jedi Master called Delkatar Veil, not even a Knight with that name that he knew of, it was hard to believe that the Neimoidian couldn't tell if that man was actually a Jedi. Or perhaps the overgrown toad was indeed overreacting? While Gunrey's fear during their conversation was genuine and the man believed everything he said, that didn't mean he was correct.

Nevertheless, this wasn't the time to take chances. If there were Jedi on Naboo, even a Knight and Padawan, much less a Master, then this part of the plan was threatened. Or perhaps not... Gunrey certainly didn't know that Sheev Palpatine was Sidious and while this wasn't the best time to reveal the continued existence of the Sith, sooner or later rumours would reach the Jedi. It was inevitable because the time of their revenge was fast approaching and that would mean more and more overt action.

In the end, the whole Naboo fiasco had a single purpose – to ensure his election as the next Chancellor. At this point Palpatine had almost enough votes and the sympathy created by the Trade Federation actually invading Naboo would be more than enough to swing sufficient number of neutral votes.

Palpatine sat behind his desk and began plotting.

The Worst case scenario – the Jedi actually knew something was up and that's why they had agents in place. Sidious could work with that. He just had to be more careful. First, he would actually speak with the Jedi and fish for information. After all, it was practically expected that someone in his position would contact them and beg for help. He smiled coldly at that thought. The Jedi, protectors of the Republic. He wondered if any of them would have the nerve to break ranks and actually help when the Senate paralysed the Republic as planned. It would be a win win situation. Either the Jedi did nothing and thus torpedo their own reputation or even better, they would act and help him stroke anti-Jedi sentiments among certain circles of power who would be afraid of the Jedi overstepping their bonds. It would be easy – there were too many people on Coruscant with a lot to hide and thus to fear from the Jedi.

Palpatine schooled his face into a concerned mask, checked and then rechecked that anything a Force Sensitive would get from him would be only what could be expected by a man in his position and only then placed an emergency call to the Jedi Temple. It took disgustingly long to actually speak with anyone important, but at least he got a Jedi Master in the end.

"Master Plo Koon!" Palpatine smiled in relief at the sight of the Kel Dorn male. "I must beg your help!" He exclaimed and hastily explained about the dastardly, highly illegal Trade Federation blockade.

"Earlier today were made aware of the issue. We already dispatched as ship carrying Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi as well as Jedi Knight Qui-Gonn Gin and his Padawan. I'm confident that they would be able to resolve the situation with all haste." The Jedi Master did his best to reassure Palpatine.

That was the case, at least outwardly. Inside, Sidious cursed. There was a Jedi Master already on the way? That was way faster than he anticipated when he set the plan in motion. That by itself gave more credence to Gunrey's words. If there was already a Jedi Master on Naboo... What did he miss?!

"I'm relieved to hear that. If it isn't too much to ask, why such a prompt response? I'm ashamed to admit I didn't expect anything to come out of my plea for help before the Senate session tonight. Please rely my gratitude to the rest of the Jedi Council, Master Koon."

The Jedi examined Palpatine for a few seconds before he made a decision. "I'm sure that Queen Amidala will tell you as soon as she can. Something unexpected happened on Naboo."

"Unexpected, Master Jedi? I am unaware of anything out of the ordinary." Palpatine's relieved smile died. "Except my home being illegally blockaded."

"A lost ship carrying two Jedi Masters arrived on Naboo the previous night." Plo Koon explained.

"How could two Jedi Masters get lost?!" Palpatine didn't need to fake his surprise. Say what you will about the Jedi, especially their Masters, but they didn't get lost.

"It may very well be a thousand of years old mystery. Are you familiar with the legend of Jedi Masters Delkatar and Kira Veil?"

Palpatine frowned as if deep in thought. "Those names seem familiar. I was very interested by galactic history in my youth, especially that of our protectors, the Jedi..." He blinked in recognition. "Veil, The Crusader?"

"The same. He and his wife vanished years after we won the Great War. It was some time after the liberation of Tatooine during their Anti-Slavery Crusade." Despite his breath mask, Palpatine was sure the Kel Dorn was smiling.

"Are you telling me that their remains turned up at Naboo?" That might explain why some Jedi Master Palpatine didn't know of went there. Perhaps some historian or archivist who never left the Temple...

"Remains? No. They're very much alive. There's only so much we can confirm without examining them in person but we had a long conversation last night. If our records are right, the people on Naboo are indeed the lost Jedi Masters!" Plo Koon said with barely contained glee.

It was all Palpatine could do not to show how he really felt.

"That's amazing! Can I meet them once the current un-pleasantries are over?!" He explained. On the inside, Sidious was cursing up a storm.

Two infamous Jedi Masters from nearly four thousand years ago suddenly turn up on Naboo hours after Sidious activated the Sith plan for revenge and galactic domination? That was no coincidence nor bad luck. That was the Force interfering!

"I think something could be arranged." Plo Koon chuckled.

"Then I can face the Senate sure that my people are in good hands! Thank you very much, Mater Jedi!" Palpatine beamed at the Jedi and finally the conversation was over.

Sidious slammed a fist into his desk. Ancient Jedi Masters alive no Naboo! Could he possibly salvage something now?! No! There was no reason to panic yet. He was the Dark Lord of the Sith! He could still leverage the situation in order to become Chancellor, however any further plans might need to be re-examined. He had to test those two. The Crusader indeed... If what he knew of that era was correct... Sidious smiled. The man loathed slavery with a passion worthy of a Sith. Perhaps aiming him at the Hutts... or could he turn them against the Republic by showing them how corrupt the whole rotten structure was? That might work, but first there were things he needed to know. Could they recognize him for what he was? Sidious had met Yoda as Palpatine and the Grandmaster was none the wiser. If the same was true for those relics, his plans could continue. Otherwise, everything could become so much more complicated. At least his predecessors ensured that the laws against being a Sith got repealed a long time ago.

Sidious made his decision. He would order Gunrey to actually invade, ensure that the Senate would paralyse itself and go for the position of Chancellor. The big question was could he salvage something at Naboo or should he simply write Gunrey and that whole fleet? If he played his cards right he might be able to become Chancellor no matter what happened at Naboo from this point onward. Perhaps throw the Trade Federation to the wolves wholesale too?

Decisions, decisions...

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Bridge**

 **TFS Wraith**

 **High orbit above Naboo**

"My friend, we were betrayed. There are Jedi en route to arrest you and drag you in front of the Senate." Sidious' voice was mournful.

"WHAT?!" Gunrey jumped from his comfortable seat.

"It's true I'm afraid. They want to use you as an example and further leverage against any corporation daring to protect its right. The Jedi believe that you will back down and when they bring you in front of the Senate in chains they will dictate the narrative! We can't allow them to succeed!"

Nute Gunrey nodded in mute horror. What Sidious spoke was the manifestation of his fears! "What am I to do!" He didn't squeak! He really didn't!

"You need to prove them wrong, my friend. Make the Jedi disappear. Invade, capture the headstrong Queen and force her to sign the treaty! I will stall the Senate for as long as I can. Then, you will come with a treaty in hand and we will be the ones who the galaxy believes! That's the only way!"

"You speak sense." The Viceroy nodded.

"Thank you, my friend! I know you won't fail!" Sidious smiled.

The Sith was such a good friend... Nute nodded with a smile of his own. Now he knew what to do! The Jedi would not make a fool of him! How did they dare!

Hours later, when a Republic Consular Frigate entered the system, Gunrey immediately had an invitation sent to them so they could resolve the regrettable misunderstanding with all due haste. When the unwitting light-ship approached the Trade Federation Flag, its crew was stunned to notice active weapon systems locking on them...

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Part 4**

 **=KR=**

 **Cockpit**

 **Millennium Falcon**

 **Naboo**

"May the Force be with them..." Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi whispered numbly.

"Are they mad?!" Bergost Shin, the ship's Captain exclaimed while all four humans in the cockpit stared at the sensor feeds. He should have known this run was more trouble that it was worth! "This was supposed to be a legit blue milk run!" Shin spat. Just ferry a bunch of Jedi from Corellia to Naboo. No big deal. Right. He should have known! They didn't even want him to run the blockade, just observe!

On the screen, a Republic Consular frigate slowly approached one of those huge Trade Federation doughnut shaped freighters. For a few seconds everything looked legit, then targeting sensors came online with enough power to practically shine in the Falcon's scanners.

The frigate was too close. Shin didn't know if the Feddies caught it with a tractor beam or perhaps the crew was less paranoid than his passengers. In the end it didn't really matter. Shin's leathery skin tightened when it became painfully obvious that the frigate was doomed. The Falcon was close enough to actually see multiple emplacements containing some of the 'freighter's' capital scale weaponry rotate and then sent a single blood red salvo in the graceful Republic ship. It didn't look like the Consular had its shields up but even if they were at full power, at that range it wouldn't matter. That 'freighter' was loaded for krayt dragon.

A blinding flash of light followed by a small explosion as the frigate's atmosphere burned and that was it. Only a shower of glowing debris cooling in the void remained to mark the final resting place of a ten man crew.

"I'm getting us out of here!" Shin exclaimed.

"That's good idea. But first contact Theed. They need to know what just happened." Mundi snapped out of his shock.

"They must have seen it!"

"Not necessary if the Federation jamms their scanners." Ginn, the much younger Jedi disagreed.

"It doesn't matter! We've got incoming fighters!"

"Unidentified vessel, you are in a restricted space. Heavy ho and prepare to be boarded. Resistance will be met with deadly force." An emotionless machine voice came over the comm.

Shin hit the afterburners. Those tin-cans would never catch his baby!

"The jamming around Naboo just went off the scale. We aren't getting through that." Mundi shook his head after trying the comm. "I'm calling the Council. Right now, we can help Naboo better as witnesses."

"What about the Jedi Masters down there?" Obi-Wan Kenobi opened his mouth for the first time since the crisis began.

"I hope they would be able to extract the Queen and escape."

"We certainly ain't hanging around to watch!" Shin vowed. His fingers ran over the controls and the Falcon jumped to hyperspace before the Trade Federation Droid fighters could reach them.

"What are they thinking?!" Obi-Wan continued. "Master, this means war!"

"I don't think that they care right now, Obi-Wan."

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Royal Palace**

 **Theed**

 **Naboo**

"We're being jammed all across the spectrum! They're blinding optical sensors too!" A Royal Guarswoman reported. She was overseeing the sensor feeds from all across the planet before automated systems fed them to a central mainframe below the Royal Palace in Theed.

"That can easily blind anyone looking up in the vicinity of our sensor platforms." Tycho, the Commander of the Royal Guard grimaced as he voiced his grim conclusion.

"Before the ECM went up, we got something that suspicious looks like an explosion before the Republic frigate could dock with the Trade Federation Flagship. I can't say more for sure, your Majesty."

"All communication frequencies are being jammed. I'm attempting to compensate..." Another guardsman spoke. "There's too much interference. We can't punch through without more power."

"Your Majesty, I would recommend that you leave Naboo for the time being." Master Veil's gentle words brought Amidala out of her shock.

"They..." The young monarch looked at the Jedi for guidance. "Why would they do this?! It makes no sense!"

"We don't know, your Majesty. However, my husband speaks the truth. We can't allow the Trade Federation to capture you, especially when they are acting so irrational."

"I won't abandon my people!" Padme's composure broke and she discarded the Royal 'we'.

"You can serve them better in front of the Senate. Becoming a martyr would only help the Trade Federation." Veil's calm voice somehow lessened the tension in the room.

"We've got incoming fighters!"

"Scramble all pilots. Your Majesty, you need to decide now. If we're to get you out we need to move!" Commander Tycho demanded.

"Larger ships too." The sensor operator paused and rechecked her console. "It looks like an invasion." Her voice was thick with disbelief.

"We're leaving now, your Majesty. There's two of us. We can't fight a war for you while the enemy controls the orbitals. If they continue to be less than rational even a temporarily victory here might push them into doing something regrettable." Master Veil put a reassuring hand on Padme's shoulder.

Her breath hitched when that simple gesture chased away the raising panic choking her. The Queen took a moment to regain her composure and turned to face the Jedi. "What do you recommend, Master Veil?"

"Have your security forces go to ground. Have them loot and disperse their arsenals, gather information, document any crimes committed by the invaders. I can promise you, I will do everything in my power to see justice done for your people."

"We don't have an army, as you well know, my Queen." The Commander added. "The Jedi Master is correct. Fighting right now can cause unnecessary harm to our people."

To Padme it was obvious how hard those words came to her guardian. She wanted to deny him, yet she couldn't. The Naboo were peaceful people! They were part of the Republic! Why would they need an army?!

"To the hangars." Padme's voice sounded hollow to her ears. It wasn't that of a Queen but of a child disillusioned by harsh reality.

* * *

 **=IK=**

 **Zebulon**

 **Royal Naboo Ship**

 **Naboo**

When the Queen's ship left the hangar, it did it on the heels of two squadrons of ageing Nubian fighters – which was a significant part of the whole Royal Naboo Navy. A whole swarm of Vulture droids descended to meet them and the best Naboo pilots flew straight in their teeth in order to screen their Queen. Behind them, the few AA emplacements in Theed, all of which were stationed at or near the Royal Place, opened fire.

The Naboo fighters opened with proton torpedoes and concussion missiles before the enemy could enter effective range of their own weapons. Within seconds a whole Droid squadron blew up and rained in burning fragments upon the river valley below Theed. More Vultures became victims to the Palace anaemic AA network, then more missiles wiped out a second squadron.

Those were the last free hits the Naboo pilots got. The two elite squadrons slammed into the leading droid fighters and spread in a desperate attempt to punch a hole for the following royal yacht. Only their shields allowed them to survive the initial onslaught but even that grace was not enough. A Nubian fighter on the right flank of the melee was first to die – a whole squadron of its droid counterparts swarmed him and scattered its debris in their wake. Another was unlucky and slammed head-on into a damaged Vulture. Then a third fell prey to an unusually skilled droid.

The tattered remains of Naboo's Second Royal squadron broke ranks and executed high angle turns that strained their compensator to their limits. The fighters shook under the extreme stress and air shear, but managed to turn and pounce upon what was left of the first enemy wave just as they were turning to follow the Zebulon. The remaining Naboo fighters raced to the heavens with the Royal Yacht snapping at their heels.

Only five of the Royal Guard lived long enough to break the atmosphere. Once in space they fell in a loose shell in front of their charge as enemies vectored upon them from every conceivable direction. Three battleships opened fire from extreme range moments after the closest Federation ship – a converted transport filled the Zebulon's chosen vector with all the flack it could.

It was a good thing there were no meaningful shock-waves in space, otherwise Amidala's flight would have been a short one. The Zebulon shook from near misses and her shields blazed with reflected energy.

The leading Royal Fighter died first. Then that on the right flank got bracketed by explosion and suddenly vanished in a flash of light. A third was cut in two and left to tumble in the void before the Zebulon staggered. A direct hit popped her deflectors and left a jagged burning hole above one stubby wing. Her acceleration decreased and that sealed the fate of her escorts.

At that point the remaining fighters had to break off and charge a squadron of Vultures with a vector and speed that guaranteed they would intercept the Royal Yacht. Thirty seconds later, missiles and laser cannons roared in both directions and the Royal Guard died along with another Droid squadrons.

Meanwhile, the Zebulon's astromech contingent fought a battle of their own. The enemy concentrated on the damaged section of the Royal Yacht, while the stubby droids crawled upon the wing in a desperate attempt to extinguish the fire and restore full power to the engine. An unseen asteroid splattered a silver droid. Two more vanished in a bright explosion and only a single R2-D2 unit remained in the void. It beeped and whined its displeasure as it worked as fast as its manipulators would allow it. A near miss shook it, then another. R2 beeped silently in distress and jabbed an ark wielder in the jagged crater in the wing. The wing below it jumped and it was only providence that saw the astrometch's magnetic clamp remain firmly attached to the ship. Below it the Zebulon picked up her second wind and accelerated just in time to avoid another Vulture squadron.

Finally, the Royal Yacht cleared Naboo's gravity well. Two more hits connected blasting her shield and opening her cargo bold to space. Only then did the Zebulon vanish in hyperspace just in time to avoid a pair of Munificent frigates that jumped in to intercept her.

* * *

 **=KR=**

"That was close." Delkatar let out a sigh of relief. During the flight he was in the cockpit, behind his wife who sat in the co-pilot seat.

"We owe you one, pilot." Kira smiled disarmingly. "To that little fella outside too. Without him those fighters would have caught us for sure."

"Heh. We actually made it!" The dusk skinned pilot chuckled nervously. "I..." The shrill beep of alarm interrupted him. "Damn it! We got hit just before we jumped to lightspeed. That... bloody hell, the hyperspace motivator's acting up. We won't get far this way."

"Get us out somewhere in dark space, then make another random jump away from any system." Delkatar ordered. "We'll see if we can fix it or not."

"If it can take the stress." Kira added.

"I'm not sure about that." The pilot ran a diagnostic. "We might get one, perhaps two jumps after we leave hyperspace. Relatively short ones."

"Where we're heading for? We didn't have much choice in escape vector."

"Straight towards the Outer Rim." Kira immediately answered. After all, she was the one to set up the nav-computer.

"Anywhere we can way low for a bit and either find parts or procure another ship?" Delkatar wondered.

"With how crazy those folks act? It will need to be somewhere out of the way and in safe range..." Kira called up a nav-map.

"Somewhere we can get lost for a bit and lacks heavy Trade Federation presence." Delkatar narrowed down the list.

"That probably eliminates most places we can reach. Please tell me I'm wrong?" Kira smiled at the pilot who gulped and checked the nav-data.

"You aren't, ma'am."

"Delkatar, dear, how do you feel about checking up on Tatooine?"

"We aren't taking the Queen there! It's ran by the Hutts!" The pilot exclaimed.

"I clearly remember kicking those slugs out of there." Veil growled from deep in his throat. The sound was loud and menacing as it echoed around the cockpit.

"Second time's the charm?" Kira stood up and went to hug her husband. "We protect the Queen, save Naboo and then we can see about the rest of the galaxy, all right?" She cooed softly in a soothing voice.

"I..." Delkatar returned the hug and relaxed in his wife's embrace. "I won't blow up my top. I promise."

"I know."


	2. Chapter 1 Parts 1&2

****Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Wars movies, TV series, books, comics or games. They all belong to their respective creators and/or copyright owners. I make no money from this story. It's not for sale or rent.****

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Legends from the past**

 **=KR=**

 **Part 1**

 **=KR=**

* * *

 **Zebulon**

 **dark space**

 **in the vicinity of Zhar**

"Tatooine!" One of the Queen's handmaidens exclaimed. "Are you mad!?"

Delkatar looked between the young woman and the Queen and raised and eyebrow. The monarch wore a thick coat of white and red pain on her face resembling a mask, however the resemblance was uncanny. Relatives? A double?

"I have to agree with the young lady." Commander Tycho nodded at the handmaiden.

"If you have a better idea, I'm all ears." Kira perked up. She wasn't too thrilled with the idea herself. If they went to Tatooine and the place was back to being as bad as it was before they liberated it, her husband was liable to go on the warpath and this wasn't the time for that. Besides, Kira was pretty sure she would be right beside him all the way. She loathed slavers with a burning passion too.

"Why Tatooine?" The Queen asked in an imperial tone.

"Various reasons, your Majesty." Delkatar began. "First, who would believe we would bring you there?" He smiled mischievously. "A Queen going to Tatooine? Unthinkable."

"Because the danger is insane!" The Commander very reasonably pointed out.

"Higher than going to a more secure port and risking an encounter with a Trade Federation warship? We aren't really in a condition to run, much less fight." Kira countered.

Honestly, if it wasn't for the expected tech disparity after thousands of years, She would have them taken their ship too, however when faced with anything modern, even a civilian conversion, it should be a death trap. While the Royal Yacht was a nice ship, it was never meant for real combat.

"Llanic, Nelvaan, Christophis..." Typho pointed out.

"At least two of those have heavy Trade Federation presence or so your pilot says. From Tatooine we'll get a lot more options to get back into Republic space. We're currently near one of the few hyperlanes we could have reached after leaving on our escape vector." Delkatar explained calmly. "From what I've seen the star-charts in the region hadn't changed much."

"Besides, Tatooine is the farthest we can safely reach and we need to put more distance between us and Naboo." Kira continued. "The farther we go, our odds of making a clean break increase as long as we stay away from areas with heavy Federation presence."

"Do you two really believe that Tatooine is our best option?" The Queen asked.

"Best? Relatively speaking. No one should look for you there and there's a lot of security in obscurity. Further, with the Hutts back in control, we should be able to make a quiet landing without checking up with any local authorities if there's such an animal there. We won't be so lucky at any civilized place. Your Majesty, while your ship is very nice piece of engineering, she isn't exactly inconspicuous." Delkatar summarized.

Amidala looked at the Jedi for a long moment before making her decision. "We chose to trust, you Master Veil. We will continue to do so."

"We won't betray your trust, your Majesty." Kira answered for them both.

"You know, I hoped one of you would have a better idea..." Delkatar massaged his forehead.

"You don't want to go to Tatooine?" Tycho frowned at him.

"Want? No. It's still the best option we have." The Jedi Master grumbled.

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Watto's shop**

 **Mos Espa**

 **Tatooine**

The back yard of Watto's shop resembled a large junk-pile held at bay by tall stone walls. A mop of dirty blond hair could be seen bobbing up and down amidst a sea of discarded parts.

"No." A young voice grumbled. Clang. "That's not it." Another grumble.

"Boy, we don't have whole day!" A surprisingly deep voice echoed from the shop's proper followed by the buzzing of wings. A dark blue Toydarian flew through the back door and its snout twitched with annoyance when he didn't immediately saw the source of his ire.

"I know, master!" The blond hair boobed again. "It should be here!" Clang, chung.

"Then find it!" Watto flapped away. "Ugh. Humans. If he wasn't so useful..."

"How am I supposed to find it?!" The owner of the blond hair muttered. Clang. He threw another broken part away. The power converter wasn't where Anakin saw it last week. Did Watto sell it and forgot? His owner wasn't the most diligent bookkeeper...

The young boy sighed. If he didn't find it, he might get punished or worse – not get paid and that meant smaller meals and no new parts for the droid he was building!

Anakin continued to burrow through the junk. Huh. Was that a plasma torch? Wicked! He looked around and pocketed it. HK wanted some kind of close combat weapon and that might do...

Few more minutes of unsuccessful scavenging followed interrupted only by an increasingly angry demands from Watto. Anakin found an intact speeder engine he didn't remember seeing before, a shot up armour suit that might be worth salvaging but still no power converter! Sithspit!

He went to another pile and pulled away a sheet of jagged metal.

"A power-cell? Useful. Too bad I scrapped my plans for a pod-racer..." Anakin grumbled. "Perhaps HK might find it useful... If I can jury-rig him a shield generator..." Anakin beamed at the idea, then his expression drooped. He had to find the power-converter first or else!

It was too bad that his racing pod got shot up two months ago. Anakin still hadn't got over the indignity. Why did those fools playing Crusaders had to hide next to his pod?! Jabba's men shot the whole building because of them, then torched the place as an example! Hadn't they figured out that there would be no Jedi coming to free the slaves again?! It's been thousands of years now and the Republic and Jedi did nothing! The Crusader was a legend to scare little fat Hutts and nothing more!

Anakin kicked a small junk pile in frustration. Ah! "There you are! I'm getting paid!" The kid exclaimed and picked up the power-converter before sprinting into the shop. "Master, I found it!"

"It took you long enough!" Watto snapped. Humans! Bah.

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Zebulon**

 **Dune Sea**

 **near Mos Espa**

"Beeb-dee-boop!" R2-D2 exclaimed.

"That bad?" Kira scrunched her nose.

"There, there little one." Padme, one of the Queen's handmaidens crooned. She sat besides the astromech and was busy cleaning it as a gesture of appreciation for saving them all during their run on the blockade.

"The hyperdrive motivator's busted. Shields can't go above fifteen percent if that, we lost almost all spare parts along with most of the cargo bay and the patch job of the left engine power system didn't really hold up during landing." Delkatar read from a data-pad. "Even if we find a new motivator, the last jump strained the hyperdrive something fierce. Going to lightspeed without a complete overhaul will be _slow._ I'm actually surprised it didn't fail before we got here. The damage is more extensive than the diagnostic implies."

"We actually need a new ship?!" The handmaiden exclaimed and dropped the rag she was using. R2 added his indignation too through a loud piercing shriek.

"Either that or we'll need a few months to crawl to Coruscant." Veil shrugged.

"This is all your fault! If we had gone elsewhere..." Padme snapped.

"We would be as stranded as we are now and we might have had to deal with Federation warships." Kira's soothing voice broke the handmaiden's angry tirade before it could really begin. "It was no coincidence we ended up here, Delkatar. Can you feel it?"

"I'm really tired being played like a fiddle by the Force, love."

"What are you two talking about?" Padme glared at the Jedi.

"We and Tatooine, let's say we have history." Kira smiled sadly.

"There's a powerful Force presence nearby and it's calling to us like a siren song. It might very well be the reason why we ended up in this time. There are no coincidence or luck. Just the Force and that's not necessary a good thing." Delkatar grumbled.

Padme looked at the Jedi and frowned. "That doesn't make much sense."

"Story of our lives, dear. You eventually get used to it or learn not to let it bother you too much." Kira patted the younger woman's shoulder.

"What are we going to do now?" The handmaiden asked.

"Go to the nearby town, see how much trouble we landed ourselves in and buy, borrow or steal a ship." Delkatar suggested.

"That doesn't sound Jedi like." Padme frowned.

"You would be surprised. I'm just more upfront than most."

Kira slapped her husband on the shoulder. "I wouldn't put it that way myself, however... In our line of work you learn to improvise. We would prefer to either buy or hire a ship instead of procuring one in more exciting ways."

"Spoilsport." Delkatar grumbled good-naturedly.

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Part 2**

 **=KR=**

 **Mos Espa**

 **Tatooine**

A most aptly named Dune Sea claimed most of Tatooine's surface. While there were mountains yet to be ground to dust, this world was the complete opposite to places like Manaan. The environment was enough for many to call the place a death world and that impression was reinforced by the locals. While the Javas were generally considered harmless, the Sand People were anything but. Most of the wildlife fell on the particularly dangerous and vicious side too – from krayt dragons and sarlaks, to various much smaller but often no less deadly critters.

The Hutts who took dominion of the planet ages ago only made its reputation worse and that was before they began vying for power and threw their henchmen against each other. Tatooine might not be a den of scum and villainy equal to Hutta and Nar Shaddaa, however that didn't say much. Curiously, no one tended to mention the small population of vapour farmers making a living all over the planet and surviving from the times Czerka had a mining operation on the planet, the Hutts, followed by iron-fisted Sith control, the Crusade and even bloodier Hutt restoration.

By all accounts, in the millennia since the two Jedi Master vanished from the face of the galaxy, the desert planet got even worse if that was possible.

"This is Mos Espa?" Veil stopped in his tracks and stared.

"That's what the sign says." Padme Nabeire pointed to a faded sheet of steel nailed to a metal pole that was in turn stuck in the middle of a small rocky formation.

"Bee-boop." R2-D2 confirmed.

"The last time we were here, this was a thriving city." Kira explained in a pained tone. "One of the bigger and more prosperous on the planet."

The Mos Espa they found themselves in was anything but. A generous person might call it a tiny town instead of a largish village. If they squinted hard. Most of the buildings were typical Tatooine dome-shaped construction meant to keep the sand and heat outside and all of them looked worse to wear.

Small groups of locals hurried this and that way and the only sound that could be heard came from a nearby bazaar – cries, screeches and hoots in at least a dozen languages from peddlers advertising their goods intermixed with loud haggling.

"You take me to the nicest of places, husband." Kira grimaced when the distinct smell of Mos Espa hit them.

"I personally blame the Force and I'll stick by that decision." Delkatar grimaced. They both had the misfortune to smell some truly vile things – like the toxic swamps of Hutta and the industrial scale toxic hell that were parts of Balmorra to name just a few. Still, Mos Espa somehow made itself distinctive enough in that exalted company.

"I think there's a compost pile nearby." Kira scrunched her nose in distaste. "Rotting bodies too."

"What?!" Padme exclaimed.

Delkatar's lips twitched up. He had forgotten what was to be this young and sheltered. The handmaiden, if she was actually what she portrayed herself as, was a breath of fresh air. "It's Tatooine that's ran by the Hutts. If there aren't bodies littering the streets we should count ourselves lucky."

"Beep!" R2-D2 cheerfully pointed out.

"If you keep that going on, I'll personally install a sniffer in you and then dunk you in one of Coruscant's waste processing facilities." Kira warned the astromech.

"Where to now?" Padme asked.

The Jedi looked at each other and pointed to the right.

A few minutes later they arrived in front of a shop, which had a small selection of parts and few droids displayed outside.

"Clients!" A deep voice boomed from inside, followed by flapping wings. "Welcome to Watto's! How can I help you? We have everything and I mean everything!" A smug Toydarian flew to meet them.

"A hyperdrive motivator and some other spare parts for starter. What currency floats here?" Delkatar asked.

The shop-owner looked up and down at the newcomers – two older humans, male and female, clad in well cared for armour that could be seen below their dusty cloaks, an astromech that looked brand new and a young human female wearing simple blue garb. Watto smiled. Their clothes were all from high quality fabrics, even the cloaks. Those Humans were loaded and he was going to do his best to help them unload as much of their money as he could!

"I'm sure we have what you need! Ship and hyperdrive model?" Watto asked eagerly. The nicer the ship the bigger the pay-check!

"R2, come here." The man called his astromech, which promptly rolled until he was in front of Watto and projected an image of a beautiful Nubian ship as well as details about its hyperdrive.

"Very nice ship you've got there!" Watto's eyes gleamed. This sell was going to make his day! "Boy, come here! We've got important clients! Yes, I can help you. I know we've got a motivator for that drive of yours. The other parts... I'm sure we'll think of something."

Small feet slid over the stone floor as a young boy ran up from the back of the shop.

"Master? You called?"

"Oh, my..." Kira exclaimed quietly. Her green eyes locked on the kid with wonder.

"He'll get you what you need. Now, about payment... We accept..." Watto paused. The client wasn't paying him any attention and just stared at the boy.

"Master?" The human man repeated in a distant tone. There was no sight of the warmth he spoke with just a moment earlier. What did Skywalker do this time?! If he ruined this deal... Watto turned to glare at his mechanic.

"Uh... What's up?" Anakin smiled nervously. He looked at the visitors. The man next to his master had to be a mercenary – the armour he could see under that cloak was too good for the run of the mill thugs that one could usually see around Mos Espa. The droid was very nice and shiny – not only new but well maintained... Anakin blinked when he saw the women. "Are you angels?"

The beautiful red-haired lady's musical laugher rang through the silent shop. "That's certainly a new one. Hi, there! I'm Kira. What's your name, sweetie?" She leaned forward and smiled at Anakin.

"Boy!" Watto snapped and his wings buzzed angry.

"Anakin, ma'am." Skywalker shook himself from the daze and jumped up. "Master!"

"Master..." The large human repeated. This time his voice was cold and flat.

Watto didn't like it at all and he turned to face the client. "Is that a problem, human?" He kept his tone professional. He really did. It didn't matter if the man was one of those dumb Crusader sympathisers if he had money to burn. Watto could sell him to the Hutts later for even more profit!

"Anakin here is your property, I take it?" Watto's head snapped to face the human woman. She was suddenly in front of him and had a sickeningly sweet smile plastered on her face.

Why did it suddenly get cold? This was Tatooine!

"Yes?" Watto answered. That much was obvious. Was the human slow or something.

"Of course he is." She face-palmed. "Delkatar, please don't..."

Watto screeched when something grasped his wings. He didn't even see the larger human moving before armoured fingers clasped his delicate joints in a vice like grip.

"Crusader, I promise I won't tell the Hutts about you! I swear!" Watto stammered. He obviously misjudged the newcomers. They were obviously a group of rich fools who thought they could restart the Crusade or something. It was no skin of his trunk! The Hutts would sort them sooner or later.

"And here I thought you people had forgotten about us." The man's smile was back but this time it was different. The human shrugged his shoulders and his cloak fell to the ground revealing the armour beneath in all its glory. The Crusader's sigil was proudly displayed on the chest.

"Oh. It's your kind." Anakin groused. "It's all your fault!"

"I know." The Delkatar nodded.

"I... You know?" Anakin glared suspiciously at the man who held his master by the wings.

"Our attempt to eradicate slavery obviously failed." Delkatar explained. "At least our attempt is still remembered. Crusaders, eh?" He shook Watto.

"What?" Anakin frowned. What did that had to do with anything?!

"Delkatar, please keep calm and don't overreact. I'm sure that Watto here wants to be reasonable. Right?" Kira's sweet smile made the Toydarian shiver in fear.

Humans weren't supposed to have such effect on him! They couldn't even fly by themselves!

"Yes! Reasonable is nice!" Watto nodded emphatically. "I like reasonable! Love it in fact! Let us all be reasonable!"

"I don't see a slave collar." Delkatar spoke after taking a moment to examine Anakin.

"Those things?! Bah! So temperamental and easy to tamper with! He's chipped." Watto explained. Collars, really? Who used slave collars in this day and age? Well, unless they were decorative and to make a point...

"What kind of chip?" The Human shook Watto by the wings producing another pained squeal.

"The kind that makes your head go boom if you go too far out." Anakin explained and wildly gesticulated to demonstrate.

"Damn it, here we go again..." Kira sighed. "Dearie, look this way, please." The smile she gave Anakin was very nice and his eyes went her way by their own volition.

He barely paid any attention to the loud scrunch followed by piercing shriek by his Master. For some reason looking at the nice lady as she requested was more important.

"How do we remove the chip without a boom?" Delkatar asked.

Watto could only whimper and stare at one of his wings that the man held in front of his eyes.


	3. Chapter 1 Parts 3&4

****Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Wars movies, TV series, books, comics or games. They all belong to their respective creators and/or copyright owners. I make no money from this story. It's not for sale or rent.****

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Legends from the past**

 **=KR=**

 **Part 3**

 **=KR=**

* * *

 **Watto's shop**

 **Mos Espa**

 **Tatooine**

Padme stared in horror at the maimed Toydarian and the Jedi who crippled him. That man held Watto by his remaining wing and shook him, causing more blood to split from a rip in his back. Veil had the gall to wave the torn limb in front of his victim and demand answers.

The other insane Jedi turned her terrifying smile her way and Padme took a step back. The older woman sighed and her smile changed into something warm and reassuring. Padme felt her fear drain away and she recoiled away from the woman when it dawned on her that Kira was doing something to her! There was no way she could suddenly feel this calm while a man was tortured in front of her!

Amidala scrambled back until her back hit a rack of shelves covering the closest wall. The impact was hard enough to sent a jolt of pain through her back that for a moment made her forgot anything else and combined with the deafening racket of parts raining on the floor was enough dazzle her.

"Shhh..." Padme blinked in confusion. Two large green eyes looked kindly at her, while a warm soothing hand massaged her back. "It's going to be all right."

Padme whimpered as the pain in her back vanished under the Jedi's warm touch. Her fear fought with a wave of calm certainty that radiated from the older woman.

"What are you going to do to me?" Amidala whispered.

"Get you to Coruscant in one piece." Kira's kind voice was like a soothing balm, but no less terrifying for it. "Try to keep you from hurting your back, too."

"It's not funny! Your husband is torturing a man!" Padme exclaimed with much less fire she should have. She felt too calm to gather the indignation the situation warranted.

"Yes. He shouldn't have to. Watto over there shouldn't keep slaves either." Kira sighed and her smile turned into a frown. "Hutts, slavers and most Sith bring out the worst in my husband." The Jedi looked at where Veil was still shaking up Watto and shook her head. "And he was doing so well..."

"How can you let this go on?!" Padme snapped. "It's wrong!"

"It is." Kira nodded. "Simply talking might have resolved this problem if Delkatar didn't jump the gun. We would never know now."

"Why don't you stop it then?!" Padme glared at the female Jedi.

"Because that man," Kira jabbed a finger at Watto, "has an explosive device in this little boy to keep him enslaved."

"Mum has a chip too!" Anakin chirped. He wanted to be helpful to the nice lady! She was probably a client and Watto would punish him if he wasn't helpful! Besides, she was nice and beautiful! Just like an Angel!

"That doesn't excuse torture!" Padme's glare intensified as her anger broke through whatever the Jedi did to keep her calm.

"Nothing excuses torture. It's still occasionally useful, especially if you can tell if someone's lying. I'll be having words with my husband over this later." The last sentence came out in a clipped omnios tone.

Padme jumped when Veil made a dismissive gesture and threw Watto over the yellow stone counter. The Toydarian slammed in the far wall with a sickening bone-crushing force and fell out of sight in a boneless heap.

"Anakin, please come here." Veil waved to the boy who ran to him like an eager puppy.

The Jedi Master had a small metal device in his hand and when Anakin came to him, he placed it over his neck and fiddled with the gadget. A few seconds later, a loud beep sounded from the boy.

"That did it, I recon." Veil pocketed the device and placed his palm on Anakin's neck. "No more boom." He ruffed the boy's hair with his free hand. "This might feel a bit weird so bear with me, all right?"

"What just happened?!" Padme blinked in confusion. She was still trying to process how a Jedi could just murder someone out of hand and act as if nothing happened.

"My husband disposed of a slaver. Something both of us believe to be the right thing to do, though usually we do give them at least one chance to turn another leaf and become decent people." Kira explained.

"You're supposed to be Jedi!" Padme railed on the woman.

"We are. We also are proactive in protecting people." Kira patiently explained.

"That's really weird. I can feel it move below my skin!" Anakin fidgetted.

"It's fine. Just a moment longer." Veil spoke softly.

He briefly removed his palm from Anakin's neck and Padme saw it was bloody. A tiny bloody sphere floated from the boy's neck and the Jedi Master brought his palm down as soon as it was out-of-the-way. The air around his hand warped and Anakin winced.

"It stings and itches." The boy's fidgeting intensified.

"Please stay still or there might be a scar." Delkatar gently took the boy's shoulder and kept him in place.

Meanwhile, Kira raised a hand and the bloody sphere flew in her opened palm. A cloth came from somewhere behind and the Jedi used it to clean the tiny device before throwing it away, then she floated it in front of Padme's eyes.

"Padme, as a Queen you should know this." Kira's voice was pure durasteel. "Morality means a different thing for different people. For us? If harming a slaver is the best way to save their victims?" She shrugged. "I would never say that Watto's actions make torturing him right or moral. All I would say is that I would lose no sleep over it, because I can think about Anakin and know that neither he nor his mother will have to walk around as property with bombs implanted in their necks."

"There. That's done. Anakin, do you have something you need in here? We're leaving and not coming back." Delkatar's voice interrupted them. "If so go and get it."

Anakin nodded vigorously. "What about Watto?" The boy looked around with concern.

"He won't bother you any longer. Now scamper."

Anakin grinned and ran to the back of the shop.

"Padme, are you going to freak out or could you shelve it until later? We've got a shop to loot."

Amidala's eyes twitched. The nerve of that man! He wasn't even paying her any attention and instead stared at the counter as various small items floated from behind him and gently landed over the polished stone over it.

"She'll freak later." Kira gently squeezed Padme's arm and a wave of calm reassurance surged through her whole being.

"Love, I think your aura's a bit much for the girl." Veil said without looking back.

Kira whirled around, looked critically at Padme and frowned. "You might be right." Suddenly, the Jedi Master was no longer larger than life and Padme noted it just then. Yet, she still felt impossible calm and collected considering what she just witnesses.

Padme was considering the benefits of running away versus the odds of ending alone on Tatooine of all places, when Anakin ran back in. He had a backpack too large for his small frame slung over his shoulders and it was a miracle he was able to move at all while carrying it. The thing bulged with various parts and even had a pair of metal rods sticking from the top.

Kira went to the boy to examine him and his haul. "Is that a plasma-torch?" She levered a disapproving stare at him that made him look at his feet and fidgetted.

"It's for HK! He needs something for close combat!" Anakin explained.

Just like that the air in the shop became oppressive. "HK?" Kira asked in a flat tone.

"Yep! I'm building him to protect mum when I'm not around!" Anakin declared bashfully. "I found this great droid data-core and its already programmed for combat! I just need to finish building him a body!

"Please in the name of all that's good and light, tell me it's not HK-47?!" Kira pleaded.

"Ummm... Okay!" Anakin perked up. "I won't tell you it's HK-47!"

"Delkatar! I know that somehow this is your fault! I told you how many times to dismantle that menace!" Kira glared at her husband.

"To think he survived all those years..." Delkatar paid no mind to the baleful glare levelled at him. "He should be hitting four thousand soon. Well, we were going to pick up your mother anyway. What's one more?"

"What did I ever do to deserve this?!" Kira moaned. "You owe me big for this mister!" She pointed accusingly at her husband. "If that rust-bucket ever steps out of line I'll be turning it to scrap myself! AM I CLEAR?!" Kira never raised her voice, yet her last words echoed through the suddenly very quiet shop.

"Clear as an Alderaani noon, love. I think we're done here. Let's move."

Padme blinked once, twice, then trice in confusion. She didn't even notice when the supposed Jedi packet two backpacks with whatever they looted from the shop and were ready to leave. They were already putting their cloaks on and hiding as much of their armour as possible.

She had to get away while she still had her mind. The way those two made her feel, it was simply unnatural.

"Come one, Padme." Kira beconned and offered her a hand.

Despite her misgivings, Padme knew she could trust the woman and took the offering.

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **AN: Sometimes, the Jedi could be as terrifying as any Sith without even trying.**

 **=KR=**

 **Part 4**

* * *

 **Skywalker's residence**

 **Slave quarter**

 **Mos Espa**

 **Tatooine**

Jeers and laugher came through the walls of Shmi Skywalker's adobe. The gang of hired guns paid to keep the place safe from any Crusader expies were at it again. Shmi glared at the wall where the noise came from. She could only hope that her son won't come back before the excitement ended.

It wasn't too long ago when a group of supposed Crusaders appeared in Mos Espa just a couple of hours before a pose of Jabba the Hutt's men came on their heels. The ensuring gun-battle shot up the marketplace, got a lot of good people injured, though somehow no one of the locals actually died then. The only good thing that came out of it was that apparently the dying out fire-fight ended in a nearby abandoned building where her son was building a pod-racer.

Of all the hair-brained ideas! She still had nightmares of the two races he eagerly participated in – one sponsored by Garuda, their former owner, for fun of all things! The other was Watto's idea after he won them on a bet. The Toydarian had won a pod earlier that day and decided that giving it to Anakin to drive was the better idea. At least Ani got away more or less unscratched both times despite his pods getting smashed. Oh, that boy... If he didn't settle down he was going to worry her into an early grave.

Shmi returned her attention to the simple meal she cooked – a vegetable broth, with fresh ingredients she bought from a visiting vapour farmer that morning.

"Who the krark are you?!" One of the hired guns outside shouted.

Shmi stiffened. No one in Mos Espa needed problems, especially those like her stuck in the slave quarters.

"I haven't seen them around here before, boss." Another spoke.

Skywalker's eyes widened. They were talking just outside her walls. She actually heard that one's boots crush a bit of gravel besides as he passed by the small kitchen.

"Show me your faces and what you have under those robes!" The leader barked.

"You don't need to bother us." A calm, utterly sure of itself voice with a strange accent answered.

"We don't need to bother you." Six dull voices spoke back in unison.

"You will go to your favourite watering hole, get drunk and won't bother anyone for the next few days no matter what." That strange voice came again.

Shmi knew whatever that was didn't concern her but... What in the name of the sand demons happened outside?! While she was pondering how much trouble everyone in the slave quarter could get over this, the front door opened and as consequence her heart tried to jump out of her chest.

"Mum!" Anakin raced inside carrying a backpack almost as large as he was.

Shmi smiled in relief when she saw her son, then she worried at what that meant. He was supposed to be at work, where it was at least reasonably safe! If whatever happened outside escalated while he was around... She didn't even want to think about it. Shmi had seen too many children get maimed or killed when they found themselves at the wrong time and place. Not to mention those poor darlings who got hauled to be someone or something's pleasure slaves...

"Ani!" Shmi levelled an expression of fondness, worry and not a little bit of angry exasperation at her son. "What have I told you about..."

"We're free mum!" Anakin exclaimed loud enough so it would be a miracle if someone in the quarter didn't hear him.

"Oh, Ani..." How she wanted that to be true. By now Shmi didn't even remember what freedom actually was. She had been taken as a young girl so long ago...

"Your son is correct, ma'am." That was the same voice from outside. The accent was unmistakable and something Shmi hadn't heard before.

A tall armoured man mostly hidden by a brown dusty robe entered her home. He was followed by a head shorter woman whose presence put Shmi on ease, the another much younger woman, just a girl really. A gleaming droid brought the small procession to an end. It beeped indignantly at the stairs before scrapping over them.

"Ani, care to introduce me to your new friends?" Shmi asked warily. What trouble did that boy get into this time?

"Those two angels are Kira and Padme!" Anakin waved excitedly at the women without bothering to point out what name belonged to whom. "That's Delkatar – he removed my chip!"

"Beep-bo-beep!" The droid beeped.

"Oh! I haven't forgotten you at all!" Ani jumped up and down making his backpack clang with whatever he had inside. "That's R2-D2, the most awesome astromech in the galaxy!"

"Boepp!" The machine sounded as it agreed.

Shmi smiled wanly. Only Anakin...

The visitors apparently noticed her discomfort. Both of them gave her kind and reassuring smiles, while the young woman only scowled. How rude!

"I'm Jedi Master Kira Veil." The redhead introduced herself, stunning Shmi.

Ever since the Crusades, the Jedi tended to avoid Tatooine. That probably explained why those two were so wrapped up in their cloaks.

"This is my reprobate of a husband, Jedi Master Delkatar Veil and our friend Padme Nabeire." The female Jedi made proper introductions.

"A pleasure." Shmi smiled nervously. Two Jedi Masters here?! That was unheard and spelled trouble. But what if... Her eyes widened. Could it be true? Did they remove Ani's chip? "I'm Shmi Skywalker. I understand that you already met my son."

"He's a nice lad. You should be proud of him." Kira complimented.

"Thank you. I must ask..."

"What Anakin told you is true. We removed his chip and will do the same for you. You're free." Delkatar explained.

Hope and relief for not only herself but more importantly for Ani crashed over Shmi with such a force she felt faint. This... it was an impossible dream come true! No slave on Tatooine could even whisper about freedom without getting severely punished or made an example of because of the Crusader's legacy.

In a daze, Shmi found herself led to the bench behind the sole table in the small living room of their home. Kira held her arm firmly yet gently and guided her to sit down. While the Jedi did it, she left her cloak open and pool behind her, revealing the white unmared metal of the armour she wore. What Shmi saw there froze the blood in her veins!

The breastplate proudly bare the symbol of the Crusaders! Their very presence was going to doom not only Ani and Shmi but everyone in Mos Espa! She whimpered in familiar terror that came back in force and crushed the false hopes provided by the interlopers. For slaves on Tatooine, the Crusaders weren't salvation. They had only one meaning – a cruel and painful death either at the hands of their owners or the vengeful grudge-bearing Hutts.

The woman, Kira spoke soothing lies, but Shmi paid her no attention.

"Mum, what's wrong?!" Anakin's concerned voice was the thing to finally break Shmi out of her funk.

"We're doomed." She said in a broken voice.

"Not if we have anything to say about that." The male Crusader interjected.

Shmi jumped to her feet and tore her arm from Kira's gentle grip. "It's all because of you! Don't you know that your kind only brings pain here! It doesn't matter if you're really a Jedi or not! Ever since your kind abandoned Tatooine it's been hell and you are to blame!" Shmi glared defiantly at the man.

"I do accept the responsibility. I knew what might happen if our efforts failed and I regret we weren't around to see them bear fruit."

Something long forgotten clicked in Shmi's head. It was story said in the dark, when the Masters were far away. The Crusader, the Betrayer, the one they were taught was responsible for the very harsh nature of slave lives on Tatooine and any other place touched by the Crusade. Vail some called him. To others it was Vael, but the Masters? When they thought no slave could overhear, they whispered of Veil.

But it was impossible! The Crusader was said to have vanished a few years after he began his cursed work! Others claimed that the Masters finally tracked him down and made an example of him.

"Let me re-introduce myself, ma'am." The ageing man bowed. "Jedi Master Delkatar Veil, formerly from the Old Republic as you now apparently call it, leader of the Crusaders."

Shmi could _feel_ the truth in the man's words. There was an aura around him that made ever doubting his declaration unthinkable. So it was all his fault! Anger surged through her heart and without thinking, Shmi slapped the Jedi as hard as she could. The loud slap echoed through the suddenly silent house.

"I did deserve that. Let me offer my apologies for what you and everyone on Tatooine has suffered because of my failure." The words were earnest, sincere.

Yet Shmi found it hard to care. She simply glared at the man, Veil, the source of all evils as she was taught ever since becoming a slave all those years ago.

"Gleeful statement! Master, you live! With great regret: the female meatbag is here with you too." HK-47's familiar condescending voice echoed from the stairwell leading to the second floor. The assassin droid lacked most of its outer plating, which revealed a tangle of wires and exposed components, yet he had moved with complete silence and did have a crude blaster rifle levelled at the room.

"HK!" Anakin groaned when he saw his droid.

"Of course it's you!" Kira hissed through clenched teeth.

"It's good to see you're still around." Delkatar smiled in recognition. He glanced at Shmi, then Anakin, before his dark eyes returned to the assassin droid. "We have a lot of unfinished business."

"With eager anticipation: We will raise hell together, Master! I can't wait!" HK-47 looked down at his chassis and added in a much quieter voice. "Ashamed statement: I will need to be repaired first, Master."

"Can we just scrap him already?" Kira groaned and glared at her husband. "You still aren't out of the woods so chose your next words very carefully, dear."

Shmi looked between the newcomers and the protocol droid Ani was building. That certainly didn't look or sound as any protocol droid she knew of or ever heard about. "Anakin!" Shmi barked in that unique tone only mothers could use when addressing their children. "You have some explaining to do!"

"Why not calm down, sit around the table, remove your chip, and then talk about it?" The Crusader smiled disarmingly. The whole house appeared a bit brighter and the tension evaporated like warm water sprinkled in the Dune Sea.


	4. Chapter 1 Parts 5&6

****Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Wars movies, TV series, books, comics or games. They all belong to their respective creators and/or copyright owners. I make no money from this story. It's not for sale or rent.****

* * *

 **AN: Parts 5 &6 were betaed by Something8576 on the spacebattle forums. Thank you very much for the great work and time you put in cleaning up this update!**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Legends from the past**

 **=KR=**

 **Part 5**

 **=KR=**

* * *

 **Skywalker's residence**

 **Slave quarter**

 **Mos Espa**

 **Tatooine's**

"This is a nice mess we find ourselves in." Delkatar massaged the bridge of his nose.

"It's your fault!" Padme snapped at him. Whatever the Jedi did to her earlier was much weaker now and she was free to express her righteous indignation.

"I'm well aware of that, young lady." The Jedi Master agreed.

"About a hundred slaves. Can we remove their chips?" Kira wondered. "According to Shmi enough of their masters aren't around to persuade into freeing them."

Delkatar levitated the two implants in front of his eyes. They were tiny things – spheres about a centimetre in diameter, perhaps even smaller.

"It depends on what anti-tampering measures they have. I'm not comfortable toying with unknown bombs. Our knowledge about such things is few thousand years out of date." Delkatar stared at the devices. "There are a few ways we might check without risking a slave."

"More torture?" Padme sneered.

"That's plan besh. Finding one of the slavers in residence and asking pointed question is what I would usually do." Veil calmly explained.

"I hope that works." Kira murmured and glanced at the ceiling.

Anakin and his mother were upstairs, discussing HK-47. That was another shock for Padme. Anakin appeared to be such a nice child, yet he was building an Assassin droid! At least it was to keep his mother safe but still! She glared at the wall besides the stairway where said murder machine stood at attention.

"Then torturing people as plan besh is all right as far as you are concerned?" Padme couldn't keep the bite out of her voice. She knew it wasn't wise – Veil tortured people, however, everything that made her who she was rebelled against the thought of such an injustice!

"That's actually a bit down the list. I was thinking of putting one of these chips in a slaver and attempting to extract it while active without making boom, as Anakin put it." Delkatar made the same gesture young Skywalker did back in the shop.

Padme rolled her eyes. "Because that's so much better!" Her words dripped with sarcasm.

"Before we go into that, let me ask you something, your Majesty." Kira interrupted her just as she was gearing for a nice punishing tirade. "Can we use your ship to transport all freed slaves to the nearest spaceport?"

Did the woman do it on purpose to spare her bastard of a husband? Padme grimaced but nodded. She wasn't leaving people in slavery if she could help it. Especially now when Shmi explained what was likely to happen if anyone even thought about Crusader involvement. "We should be able to fit them in and life support won't be an issue for a short atmospheric flight."

"Good." Delkatar nodded. "Now say your piece, your Majesty. It's obvious my actions in the shop bother you." The man addressed her by her real title for the first time – back on Naboo, he interacted only with her double while Padme herself hovered nearby in the guise of a handmaiden.

She honestly didn't know what to think about being found out. Padme still didn't know how Kira figured it out, though she was pretty sure her husband didn't until she heard his wife address her as royalty. Unless he simply pretended not to know? He was a crazy Jedi after all.

"Bother me?!" Padme snapped after a short pause to marvel at the gall of the man. "You claim you are a Jedi, a Master no less and you just went on and tortured Watto! It's immoral, evil and counter-productive! People will tell you anything they think you want to hear to make the pain stop!"

"I wholeheartedly agree on most points. Regrettably it can work in certain circumstances." Veil sighed and suddenly looked much, much older.

"Then why did you do it!?"

"Initially? I snapped." The supposed Jedi answered in a distant tone. "We liberated Tatooine once. For us," he nodded at his wife, "that was just a few short years ago. We freed all the slaves, kicked the Hutts of this whole sector of space and got busy building infrastructure in preparation for another push against the Hutts. However, before we could go on we had to pause to ensure the well-being of those who we freed and that we would have safe haven for those who we intended to liberate. It was in that period that something happened when we entered hyperspace en route to Coruscant to meet with the Jedi Council. You know the rest – we arrived at Naboo, thousands of years later."

"That still doesn't explain what happened! You call yourself Jedi! You should be better than that!"

"According to whom?" Kira asked in placating tone. "What does being a Jedi means to you, your Majesty?"

Padme looked between the husband and the wife. Were they serious!? If their expressions were anything to go by, that was indeed the case. She huffed but decided to entertain their curiosity. Padme had to remind herself that they from thousands of years ago and that she really didn't know if what it meant to be a Jedi then was the same as it meant today.

"You are supposed to be the guardians of the Republic, of Democracy! You are peacekeepers and mediators, the shining example for everyone to live up to!" Padme's voice rang with the passion she felt. "You are meant to upheld justice across the galaxy, to be a worthy inspiration for the next generation!"

"Well, at least our reputation has gotten better." Kira smiled fondly at Padme. "We haven't really met the Jedi of this era, Padme. While we did know some who your words described perfectly, they all perished during the war and with them, the best of the Order."

"We aren't the paragons of light you might imagine us to be. We've been staring too long in the abyss, seen too much of the galaxy's darker side to pretend that upholding high morals at all time would make everything better." Delkatar's peaceful mask morphed in a forlorn expression. "Do you have any idea how it feels to see a place you liberated turned into even worse hell-hole than it was? Do you know what it means to figure out that both the Republic and the Jedi Order abandoned your cause and doomed billions of slaves, not to mention the countless ones who had to suffer even worse fate in the past three thousand years?!" The man shook with emotion. "Only to see those who you strived to save hate and fear the very mention of your name or cause?!" He spat.

Kira stood up and went up to her husband to cup his cheek in her palm. She whispered something and he relaxed a bit.

"I know I kriffed up, your Majesty. I let my emotions rule me and my actions endangered everyone in Mos Espa. Unless the Force is with us a lot of people will suffer. That's on me." Veil continued.

"That's it? You're sorry and it makes it all better?! All I hear are excuses!" Padme's temper flared. Jedi were better than that! They had to be!

"What do you expect me to say, your Majesty? That I would never again torture someone? Do you think I enjoyed what I did? I felt every single thing Watto experienced at my hands!" He snapped. "I could feel the temptations edging me on to make him pay for keeping slaves!" He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Do you know what's the worst is, your Majesty? If I hadn't snapped and I failed to persuade him to release Anakin and Shmi? I would have tortured him for the information."

That left Padme speechless. How could he... Why would he do it anyway if he could the pain of his victim? Was he truly mad?!

"I can see the questions in your eyes, Padme. The ugly truth is that torture can work... if you can tell if someone is lying and if you need fast the answers to a few simple questions. A few codes, locations, a preferred route or something in that vein. And for us, while we can't literally read someone's mind, even if their willpower is strong enough to resist a more gentle form of persuasion, we could usually tell if they're lying or not. It's dangerous. Not something that ever could or should be done lightly, yet it can work."

"So that's your excuse!? The ends justify the means?" Padme hissed.

"That depends on both the ends and means. For us," Delkatar took a hold of his wife's hand, that was still on his cheek and squeezed it, "there are causes that justify sacrificing our morals and pieces of our sanity."

"I have to reluctantly agree. There were situations where good men and women would have died or worse if we didn't get information fast enough from prisoners. I would never claim that what we've done on occasion was not monstrous. It was. It was evil. Yet, while I do regret the necessity, if put in the same situation I would trample upon my morals again." Kira declared in a solemn tone.

Padme watched the pair and knew they were sincere in their words. She couldn't accept their logic. There always had to be another way! As she stared at those ancient Jedi, she could only hope that today's Order was better. Padme wasn't sure what she would do if the rest of the Jedi didn't live up to their reputations...

The Queen slumped on the bench. She was stuck with those maniacs until they got to Coruscant. Then hopefully the Order could deal with them. She just hoped that she could keep them from making another disaster before they left...

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Part 6**

 **=KR=**

 **Skywalker's residence**

 **Slave quarter**

 **Mos Espa**

 **Tatooine**

For a time, Padme sat subdued while she thought about her verbal confrontation with the Jedi. She knew that she should have handled it better, as befitting her station as a Queen. However, the events of the last day rattled her, even if she was reluctant to admit it. The unprovoked invasion, the following flight when good men and women died to allow her ship to flee Naboo... Tatooine. She grimaced. Slavery! It was illegal in the Republic and never even talked about outside ancient history. She had to think hard to even recall ever hearing that it might be a thing anywhere in the galaxy and she wasn't sure if it hadn't been an offhand comment about what someone's ancestors did so long ago that it didn't really matter any-more!

Yet, it was very real here on Tatooine. She was in the residence of two former slaves! No, despite the Jedi presence and the removal of the explosive chips, the Skywalkers were very much slaves as far as anyone not inside this house or on board the Zebulon were concerned. It was monstrous, appalling, yet if she was to be honest to herself as she had been taught to be since ever since she was a little girl, Padme couldn't dispute the reality of their situation.

She barely paid any attention to the Jedi plotting.

"You're the better mechanic, not to mention I will have nothing to do with that pet murder-bot of yours, darling. Besides, right now I can't trust you not to do something that we all might regret." Kira was saying.

"Fine, fine, Lady Tyrant. I'll help Anakin finish up fixing HK. We surely can use his fire-power."

"Gleeful statement: Thank you, Master! You are the best Master!" The assassin droid chipped in from the table where it sat while Anakin was busy installing... was that a flame-thrower?!

What was wrong with that child? Was it the corrupting influence of the murderous droid of simply his life as a slave? Did it really matter? And he seemed so nice...

"Then it's settled. I'm going to round up and have a little chat with every slave owner still in Mos Espa." The Jedi's small smile was a terrible thing to behold.

Padme felt chill inside as she saw it. That expression didn't belong on the face of a Jedi. Did she really want to know what Kira had in mind when she talked about a chat?

"Have fun, love. Stay safe, please."

"Oh, I will. And you will behave!" Kira mock scowled at her husband, picked up her cloak and left.

"What can the two of you tell me about Mos Eisley? What do you remember? I'm most interested about the area near the spaceport and all you can tell me about it." Delkatar addressed the Skywalkers.

There were at least a hundred slaves in Mos Espa. No matter what he did earlier, the Jedi Master was determined to get as many of them as possible to safety and that at least they could agree on. No one should suffer such a fate! The very thought that countless people could be enslaved all over the galaxy with her being none the wiser, made bile rise in Padme's throat. She warily glanced at the Jedi who along with Anakin was engrossed in fitting weapons in the droid while listening to Shmi recount everything she knew about the closest spaceport.

That very image was a disturbing contrast to what that man now stood for in her mind – merciless and pointless torture. Right now Veil looked more like a father or an uncle having fun with the kid. The scene was strangely domestic and entirely out-of-place considering that they were making a clearly deranged assassin droid even more dangerous than it already had to be! How could this be the same man who just a few hours ago tortured and murdered a man in cold blood?

She had no idea. Padme also couldn't dismiss the Jedi's words no matter how much her heart demanded that they were wrong. What price would she pay to see the Skywalkers free? What about the other slaves in Mos Espa? Those on Tatooine and the rest of the galaxy? Could she do anything to help them when neither the Republic, nor the Jedi did, a thing; when they had to know what was happening? Padme hugged herself and sighed sadly. First she had to do her duty to her own people. She would do her best to protect the slaves in Mos Espa, but she couldn't do anything about the rest before Naboo was safe and sound. However, once her home was free, she was going to do her damned best to see slavery eradicated from the face of the galaxy! There had to be a way to do it in a sensible and civilized way and Padme was going to find it! The galaxy had been in peace for a thousand years! That was a proof that it had become a more enlightened and civilized place! She was going to prove those Jedi wrong!

She had to, otherwise she might have to concede their point and then... Padme massaged her forehead. She didn't know what she would do if her belief in the Jedi and Republic was proven wrong and they did nothing to free the slaves...

 **=KR=**

 **Senate building**

 **Coruscant**

The whole building was abuzz with small cliques of furiously whispering Senators. Rumours of the Trade Federation blockading of Naboo broke just a few hours ago and they were given credence by a total communications' blackout of the whole system. Palpatine's plan unfolded nicely and even the fact that the delegation that the Jedi dispatched survived their encounter with the blockade was useful; their survival – a net gain. Now there was a proof of the Trade Federation destroying a Republic Consular Frigate and soon the Jedi would be presenting it in front of the whole Senate.

That whole episode would play a critical role in Palpatine's rise to power. The pieces were set. The Trade Federation Senator, his close allies and various Senators in Palpatine's pocket, even if they were unaware of the fact, would set the stage. Even the famous and powerful reclusive Hego Damask indicated his support of Palpatine and soon the old man would make his first public appearance in years just to endorse his candidacy for a Chancellor. Little did anyone knew that Damask was in fact Darth Plagueis, Sidious soon to be disposed master. Barring something unexpected, Sidious didn't foresee any immediate trouble from that direction. The political stage was set and rigged. Instead, Palpatine's gaze was set upon other, graver concerns.

Queen Amidala managed to flee Naboo, presumably in the company of the two ancient Jedi Masters. It was no use hoping that they were killed during the flight through the blockade. If the Force saw fit to intervene in such a high handed way, there was no chance the Jedi would die just like that.

In the end, it was a good thing that Amidala's fate was of no consequence as far as his important plans were concerned. The events on Naboo were already a sideshow, if one that could still offer some useful opportunities. What concerned Sidious were the Jedi. If there was one thing that he knew for a fact about the Force users of old, it was that they were generally more powerful than those who came to be in later ages. He knew he was very powerful in the Dark Side, just as Plagueis still was. However, the two of them along with some of their predecessors among the Banite Sith were unusually powerful anomalies... at least if all the knowledge hoarded by them about ages past was true.

Sidious frowned. There were mysteries of the Dark Side he simply never found the time to explore. Techniques that took too long a time to master, others that could only be perfected through repeated use in combat and for obvious reasons he seldom had the opportunity to do so. He believed that he had learned everything that Plagues had to teach or had records of what he had yet to master. That had to change, yet how? If things panned out, he soon would have unprecedented political power, yet as consequence, his freedom would be restricted. He snarled in frustration. There had to be a way to practice his skills and hone them up to the point even the Jedi of old wouldn't be a match for him when he used the full power of the Dark Side!

He took a few deep breaths and took control of his emotions before they could cause him to slip beyond his mask. No matter what he wanted, this wasn't the time and place. First he had to finish the most critical part of the plan that was in progress; to take advantage of the current situation for all it was worth. Only then could he think about how he would find the time to improve himself as a Sith at a pace he never imagined he would need. Besides, first he had to test those Jedi and figure out how dangerous they truly were. Perhaps there was no real reason for concern but he doubted it. There were no places for coincidences when the Force was concerned. Considering when and where the Jedi turned up, they had to be here to oppose him.

That's why Sidious took a risk and sent a coded message to his apprentice from the Senate, though he did make sure if it was even traced it would lead to a usually empty office on the other side of the building, one he had never been inside of. Maul had his job cut out for him and if he survived, the brute might actually amount to something. If not... Sidious smiled. With that one he had the foresight to keep his public identity hidden. All Maul knew was that Sidious had a connection to the Senate, which was always meant to come out sooner or later.

An even graver concern was Plagueis. While Sidious was the man's student and would forever appreciate everything he was taught, he never considered him his Master, no matter what lip service he was forced to pay. His plans were at a critical juncture and in just a few short days he intended to deceive and betray Plagues. There was no other option, was there? The old man was on the cusp of unlocking immortality and then he might have no need of an Apprentice.

Unfortunately, the Old Republic Jedi changed the equation. Could he dare oppose Plagueis at this juncture? Could he dare not? Soon he would have to meet his so called Master and one way or another things would go to a resolution.

Palpatine ended his musings and turned his expression most grave. After all, his home was just invaded by those dastardly Trade Federation thugs. Now it was time for him to play his part. Now, now it was time for him to shine.

* * *

 **=KB=**

A few minutes later, Palpatine met with a Jedi delegation led by Master Yoda himself. The small green troll brought the three survivors from Naboo along with an older civilian man wearing formal suit in a Corellian style. Was that the Captain of whatever ship they used instead of the frigate they were supposed to be on? That was excellent!

"My friends, you are a rare ray of light in these dark times!" Palpatine exclaimed when the Jedi got near him. His mask was fully in place and he actually felt the relief that a man in his position should experience when about to receive the support of multiple powerful Jedi. Truly, no one besides the Chancellor's open backing would please Palpatine more considering what was happening on Naboo. It was too bad that Valorum's help wasn't worth much. It was going to be truly tragic...

"Senator." Yoda gravely nodded. "Terrible the situation is. In the future, my hope is, in better circumstances we should meet."

"I'm just glad that your friends made it back safely!" Palpatine shook his head in disbelief. "To think that the Trade Federation would dare..." He trailed off with a pained grimace.

The tallest Jedi nodded in stoic agreement. "We're still alive by the grace of the Force. If it wasn't for our ancient friends, we would have been on board the Strider when she was destroyed with all hands."

"What do you think the Senate should do, Senator?" The older human in the group inquired.

"I hope they will force the Trade Federation to pull back from my home. Anything else can and should be a concern for later." Palpatine was a picture of a man only concerned about the well-being of his people.

"Commendable." Mundi gave him a small nod of approval.

"It is my duty. Nothing more and nothing less." Palpatine humbly stated. "I believe we should enter now."

They got into the Senate Chamber and immediately were assaulted by a cacophony of noise caused by throats belonging to people of thousands of different species. They entered Naboo's pod and had to wait for few minutes until everyone who deemed the session important enough to attend took their places. Only then the Chair of the Senate did his job, while the Vice Chair Ameda stood still as a statue beside him.

"Silence!" Pestage roared to subdue the clamouring Senators. "I will have silence! The Senate is now in session!"

Despite the chair's best efforts, no one in Naboo's pod could actually hear the Chancellor's first words. It was only when Valorum raised his voice to a shout that the noise subdued.

"We are here today, because a grave injustice is in progress! A sovereign member of the Republic was invaded! I call for Senator Sheev Palpatine and the Jedi who witnessed this abhorrent crime to speak!"

Sidious activated the pod and it soon rose to float next to the Chancellor's own. Valorum's words ignited the Senate and thousands of people shouted their indignation or disbelief at the accusation.

Palpatine allowed himself to feel torn – grateful to those infuriated by the plight of a world unjustly invaded and contempt for everyone else.

"My friends, I stand before you here today with grave news and humble plight!" Sheev spoke sorrowfully. Today he had to do his best performance to date and he would be damned if it wasn't one for the ages! "My home, Naboo, was blockaded mere hours ago by a Trade Federation armada!" His voice rose as Senators began whispering furiously.

The Trade Federation Senator declined to take the bait and simply glared at the Naboo pod. Palpatine met the Neimoidian's eyes and glowered.

"But that wasn't enough! Six hours ago, one of their ships engaged and destroyed the Republic Consular frigate Strider. She was lost with all hands and it was only providence that spared the life of the three Jedi who now stand beside me! Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Ginn and Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi along with Captain Shin stand as witnesses to the crimes of the Trade Federation!" Palpatine exclaimed and the Senate descended into chaos.

Cries of disbelief, shock and pure rage shook the chamber. It took Pastige, Ameda and finally even Valorum's intervention to regain control; even then it the chaos reigned for long minutes before the session could continue. Then the Jedi calmly testified and showed sensor records of Strider demise, which Yoda himself confirmed as genuine and untampered.

"The only thing I ask of you all is to do your duty and free my home!" Palpatine plead to the Senate.

Another commotion ensured and it only subdued when the Trade Federation pod arose.

"I'm grieved by your plight, Senator." The Neimoidian began. "Rest assured that whatever is happening at Naboo has no official sanction or backing by the Trade Federation. We need to form a commission to determine who is at fault and how best to solve the problem. I can assure you, if elements of our fleet went either rogue or were somehow deceived, they will be punished. We've already sent a ship to investigate, but unfortunately we are yet to receive a response. I can guarantee you that any unlawful action by our personnel would be severely punished and any damage caused by such repaid. However, before we act rashly we need to know the truth! For all any of us knows, some kind of malfunction in the Droid control ship we saw could be at fault. Our fleets are highly automated and controlled by a central computer. It is entirely possible that a hardware or software malfunction is to blame for the tragic loss of the Strider. I must once again ask for a proper investigation. "

Utter silence followed. Then a few people began to mutter and slowly clap. That opened the floodgates. Some cheered this perceived peaceful resolution of a tragic misunderstanding, others saw it for what it was – an attempt for a cover up.

Palpatine showed his mixed feeling to the world at large while watching Valorum from the corner of his eyes.

When the senate was relatively silent again, the Chancellor spoke. "We will form a commission to determine what happened at Naboo and who is responsible for the destruction of the Strider. At this time there is no proof that the Trade Federation as an organization is responsible for any wrongdoing, even if there are strong indication of ships belonging to them being involved... We will dispatch..."

Pastige leaned forward and whispered furiously. Valorum's face twisted in a pained grimace but he nodded.

"Before dispatching a strong Judicial Force to intervene we need to investigate the circumstances surrounding the destruction of the Strider. As the honoured Senator from the Trade Federation said, this all might be a tragic misunderstanding..." It was obvious to all that this wasn't what Valorum wanted to say or do.

The rising noise of approval quickly showed that he might not have much of a choice.

Palpatine stared in stunned disbelief at what was happening, his emotions in turmoil. Betrayal, anger and fear for his people practically radiated from him in such a way that the Jedi had to be dead not to notice it.

"Chancellor Valorum!" Palpatine snapped in a hard voice that made everyone look up at him. "My world is being invaded as we speak. It doesn't really matter if this is just the Trade Federation's droid army going rogue or something even more sinister! My people are suffering right now!" He stopped to take breath. Murmurs of anger and support could be heard from different corners of the room. "Will you dispatch help to Naboo right now?"

Valorum, Pastige and Ameda spoke with each other for few moments and the Chancellor shamefully shook his head. "Under the circumstances, I don't have the power to dispatch anything but an investigation team. Not when the accused party is doing their best to recall their force at Naboo."

Jeers, more shouts and even applause met the Chancellor's announcement. It was just as expected. In this day and age, the position of Supreme Chancellor of the Republic was weak and with the Trade Federation following the letter of the law, Valorum's hands were tied.

"In that case, you leave me no choice." Palpatine declared in a voice colder than the void between the stars. He let all the pain, betrayal and disillusionment he should feel surface and be heard, while down below Sidious cackled. "I must do my duty. I must ask for a vote of no confidence of Chancellor Valorum!" He spoke in hell's own voice and absolute pandemonium ensured in its wake.


	5. Chapter 2 Parts 1&2

**AN: This update was betaed by Something8576 on the spacebattle forums. Thank you very much for the great work and time you put in cleaning up this update!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Wars movies, TV series, books, comics or games. They all belong to their respective creators and/or copyright owners. I make no money from this story. It's not for sale or rent.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Crusaders of might and magic**

 **=KR=**

 **Part 1**

 **=KR=**

* * *

 **Reelo Zelik's manor**

 **Mos Espa**

 **Tatooine**

A dirge commemorating ultimate victory over ancient interlopers carried over one of the largest and arguably most beautiful buildings in Mos Espa. The competition might suck – with the ancient city not even a shadow of its former self, yet Rodian Crime Lord Reelo Zelik didn't care much. For him that was a boon – not only did his home stand out more thanks to Mos Espa's general condition, it was also an indication that while his pond was small, he was the largest and only shark in it.

It had been years since anyone really dangerous dared challenge him and not one of the big players gave a damn about the place, which coincidentally made him safe from the Hutts. All Zelik had to do was keep the slaves properly cowed, show that he was vigilant against Crusader activity, pay his dues and he was set. The first part was easy – oppressing the wretches was not a difficult job. Besides, it was occasionally enjoyable and always necessary. It simply wouldn't do for the slaves to think that they could ever be free. Even thousands of years later there were horror stories of what the Crusaders did and those paled in insignificance to the terrors committed by freed slaves upon their rightful masters!

That's why, being vigilant against Crusaders, or any competitor or troublemaker who could be dubbed such, was all to the good of Zelik so it was all right! Besides, it wasn't like some fools who thought they could liberate the slaves so the bastards could murder their owners was a good idea. Why, it was just few months ago when a band of those karking Jedi lovers came to his little kingdom and had to be put down!

The last part of his duty to the Hutts wasn't too onerous either. Mos Espa used to be a vast city though after it was wrecked and mostly abandoned after the Crusades it was now buried under the sands. Yet, even thousands of years later it was very much possible to scavenge relics from the past and a lot of them were worth a fortune to various collectors; and when Reelo was really lucky, the odd piece of lost ancient tech would surface and he could make a killing by selling it to the Hutts.

Zelik had his little kingdom! The best band he could buy played one of his favourite songs, his few friends and a lot of his acquaintances were guests in his home sampling exotic drinks, foods and drugs from tables set across his banquet hall. Exotic, scantily clad women of eight different species danced for everyone enjoyment. All of them were slaves and available for the pleasure of his guests, as such was only proper. That new ready to be broken in Rodian lass nimbly moved in an enticing mating dance just for him... Life was good! They were on top of the world and gathered to celebrate that very fact!

"More drinks!" Reelo exclaimed to the slave-waiters and his friends cheered him on. He nodded to the band's singer. The middle aged, yet still stunning Twi'lek woman nodded, leaned forward to display her bountiful cleavage. She began to sing of the final victory over the Crusaders and how the last of them were crushed right here, in Mos Espa!

Liria's voice was magnificent and the dirge sang by the band only enhanced the dreary beauty of her tune. The melody soon changed into an upbeat, triumphant rhythm.

"How delicious." A lilting, haunting voice whispered in Reelo's ear. Startled he looked around, wondering if one of his pleasure slaves got bold and frisky.

The boisterous laugher of his guests and the loud boastful retelling of their exploits coming from his friend suddenly ceased and only the song echoed through the large banquet hall. It looked like that the band was oblivious to what was happening around them.

An impossible apparition walked through the hall's main door. She was an older human woman with distinct fiery hair that moved around her head as if alive. It gave the impression that a burning halo surrounded her face. A pair of striking un-forgettable eyes stared in the very soul of anyone unfortunate enough to meet her gaze.

As if that was not enough, she wore a gleaming white armour with an anathema painted on her chest plate. The Crusader's own symbol was proudly displayed for all to see and the human appeared unconcerned of what a heinous crime wearing it was. She smiled sweetly, pleasantly and no one in the room could tear their eyes from her kind expression.

"Would you kindly..." Her blood red lips moved and rich, soft Core accent with a taste of something archaic slid like a caress over everyone clear-headed enough to listen. Only the few too drunk and high to even notice the world remained unaffected. "raise your hands if you have a slave here in Mos Espa?"

Reelo's large eyes blinked as he stared at the woman and he lost himself in her haunting gaze. Without thinking, he brought up his hands. A small, distant part of him screamed that something was terribly, horribly wrong. But it didn't matter. The stunning woman asked a question and he just had to answer!

"Good." Her hot, smoky voice made Zelik glad he pleased her. "Would you kindly release every single one of your slaves here in Mos Espa? Would you do that for little old me?"

Reelo's guest clamoured to do as asked. Why wouldn't they? A fiery goddess graced them with her presence and it was their honour to fulfil her humble request! Zelik scrambled to retrieve his own remote so he could begin freeing his slaves.

What was he doing!? Why was he listening to a strange woman dressed as a Crusader?! Those thoughts broke through the haze surrounding his mind only after he had already disabled the chips of four of his slaves. His hands shook and he looked up from the remote. Half his guests were slumped either over the tables or on the ground. Most were drooling and a few who were closer had blood leaking from their eyes and ears.

Raw undiluted terror chilled Reelo's hart. A spike of adrenaline followed and he managed to break through whatever sorcery that witch used over everybody.

"GUARDS!" Zelik screamed on the top of his lungs. He slammed the panic button on his remote summoning the rest of his men and the small contingent of combat droid he kept just in case.

A few of the guards who stood by the walls still as statues shook their heads and drew weapons.

The witch's smile never wavered. She merely narrowed her eyes at his men and spoke in a sweet, pleading tone. "Would you kindly point your weapons at each other?"

Most of his guards complied and only two aimed at the sorceress.

"Shoot." The monster in human skin asked kindly.

Blasters barked and ten of Reelo's men blew out each other's brains. The other two managed two shots apiece at the witch and she finally revealed her true colours. Her right hand moved in a blur and an emerald blade intercepted the blaster bolts coming at her. The last two guards in the hall crumpled in smoking heaps caught by their own deflected shots.

"Reelo Zelik, would you kindly release the rest of your slaves?" The witch turned her gaze back on him. Her tone was soft, imploring.

He whimpered and tried to scramble away from her, yet his feet refused to obey. His mind rebelled against him. Why wouldn't he listen to her? She was so kind and nice! It surely wouldn't hurt...

But she was a witch! Worse, a Crusader and a Jedi one at that! This was just like in the horror stories from the Crusade! It couldn't be happening to him! A nightmare, yes! This had to be a nasty nightmare! Perhaps he drank too much and sniffed something very weird before crashing to bed...

"Your slaves, Reelo. Please, release them." The terrifying woman slowly walked towards him only slowing down to step around a dizzy dancer who still moved in a daze to the beat of music he couldn't hear. His huge eyes roamed all around the room only to see all his guests lying insensate where they once stood. Blood, drool and other liquids surrounded them and none was moving.

"Do you see what you made me do, Reelo?" There was so much regret in that voice and he knew it was somehow his fault. Perhaps if he hadn't been such a bad boy, then a daemon of the night wouldn't have come for him as his mother used to scare him when he was a little kid...

Zelik looked back at the woman and blanched. She was right in front of him and almost close enough for a kiss. "Don't worry. No one is coming to interrupt us. Your guards outside know better. Your droids, well, you should have maintained them better. I had to just push in the wrong places and they all fell to pieces." The witch crooned in a soothing voice.

His terror somewhat subdued. From this close, he could sense the peace surrounding her. She surely wouldn't hurt him! He was a good boy!

"Shh... It's all going to be all right." Her face blurred. The bright flames surrounding it dulled and warped into the light of a distant sun. "Would you kindly release your remaining slaves?" The voice asked. Reelo could smell familiar spiced herbal tea, just as his mother used to make him all those decades ago on Rodia...

"Of course! I'm a good boy..." He nodded eagerly.

"Yes, yes you are." The goddess that reminded him of mother so much gave him an approving smile that melted his frozen heart. "We wouldn't want you to become a bad boy again, would we?"

"NO!" The voice screaming in denial at the back of his head was getting more and more distant.

"Good boy, Reelo." A soft soothing finger brushed his forehead and all the tension drained out of him. "Would you kindly rethink your life choices? It's not nice to keep slaves and exploit them. That's what bad boys do. You don't want to be a bad boy, do you?" The goddess asked.

Reelo shook his head in denial. Of course he didn't! He was a good boy! He thought about his life while his fingers acted on their own volition and entered code after code in his remote in order to release his slaves. The signal would get to the transmitter built on the top of his house and soon all chips in those owned by him in Mos Espa would be inert! He was a good boy and good boys didn't keep slaves!

He thought about his pleasure slaves, of their fear and the power he felt when amusing himself with them. Now, in the light shining by the goddess, it made him feel sick to the core. What had he done?! What about those menial slaves he sent in the buried city? At least a third never returned. The place was still full with dangers – from deadly wildlife to still active and dangerous ordnance left from the war to even the odd automated weapon emplacement with enough ammo to vaporize the unlucky...

Tears freely fell down Reelo's face and he frantically clicked on his remote to free the slaves faster.

"Good boy." The soothing voice promised salvation.

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Part 2**

 **=KR=**

 **Darth Plagueis' inner sanctum**

 **Coruscant**

Sidious walked through the halls of his 'Master's' home in a reasonably good mood. Valorum's Vote of no Confidence went as good as it could be expected. Last year the Chancellor burned out what little political capital he had left and while he was still quite popular with the public, the same couldn't be said for the Senate. Virtually all corporate interests were aligned against him, and all it took was for the anti-corporate block to be themselves and few strategic assassinations. As a nice bonus, last year's events polarized the Senate to a degree it hadn't been in centuries.

The invasion of Naboo merely sealed Valorum's fate. First, he was blamed for dispatching the Jedi to Naboo, or, well, giving them instruction to investigate the blockade without going through the proper channels; that the ship had already been en route wasn't something anyone really cared about. Considering what happened with their official transport, such an oversight might have been overlooked, however once the vote of no confidence was called in, all the man's dirty laundry got put out on display for the galaxy to see.

In theory, it should have been a close vote. However, there were too many interests conspiring against Valorum. He stepped on too many toes; failed to deliver on too many promises – courtesy of the Sith of course. When both the corporate and anti-corporate factions moved against him and even the Core's centrists nominally led by Bail Antilles turned on each other over Naboo, his fate was sealed.

Elections were in two days and Palpatine was pleasantly surprised to find himself nominated by a broad coalition centred around the anti-corporatists. With Damask's backing, his own allies and the sympathy vote, his odds of becoming the next Chancellor were excellent.

Nevertheless, he would be quite busy until the vote took place, yet first there was something more important to do.

Palpatine shed his mask as he walked inside his Master's sanctum. He paid little attention to the tall grim décor preferred by the Muun, Sidious wasn't here to sight-see. Besides, the man's taste left a lot to be desired. He took all that dark and gloomy Sith aesthetic to an obsessive degree. Sidious hoped that one day he wouldn't awake to find his own taste gone down the drain.

"Apprentice." A tall dark figure emerged from the shadows from where Sidious felt his master's presence.

He frowned – Plagueis was transparent, like a hologram. Was he too late? Did his Master unlock immortality?!

"I had a most enlightening Force Vision last night. Imagine my surprise when I saw what a foolish treacherous little snake you were." Plagueis voice was like silk and he had an infuriating smile on his face.

"I'm sure I have no idea what you are talking about, my Master." Sidious declined the accusation, while covertly gathered the Force around himself.

"I'm sure you don't. Did you really think you've learned all I know, Apprentice?" Plagueis asked.

"Master?" Sidious focused his eyes on the image, but let his senses expand and seek the real threat.

"Such a disappointment. No matter, you can still be useful, my foolish Apprentice. The plan will go on, Sidious. You do have Damask's support and I instructed his agents to back your bid for power." The Muun appeared quite amused as he said his piece.

"I see. Why?" He narrowed his eyes at the apparition.

"Why not?" Plagueis shrugged. "If you are unable to hide from the ancient Jedi your position will be meaningless. Damask's agents would be simply deceived just as everyone else. Besides, I won't be here to face the fallout, would I?" The man grinned.

Plagueis really enjoyed himself and that scared Sidious more than the Sith Lord's fury would have.

"Then, I better deceive them." The future Chancellor stated. "Did you succeed?"

"Wouldn't you want to know? Perhaps I did. It is no longer your concern."

Sidious bristled at that dismissal.

"However, the Old Republic Jedi could prove a formidable threat. If they don't figure out what you are, my former Apprentice, then you will be of use. I've left you a holocron with some techniques you would have lost if you went along with your plan. Get me drunk and kill me in my sleep, eh? Pathetic." Plagueis glared.

"I'm a Sith." Sidious shrugged. Was his master deceiving him to lull him in a false sense of security? Or perhaps Plagueis was genuine. It all depended on what the Muun valued more at this time – vengeance over the planned betrayal or an ally against the ancient Jedi. The thought that he could be mistaken and that Plagueis hadn't yet taught him everything was disturbing. If that was indeed the case it was a very unpleasant thought; how many times had the Apprentice succeeded the Master, mistaken in their belief that they had learnt all there was to learn only for knowledge and thus power to be lost!?

"A fool eager to waste his potential, that's what you are!" Plagueis scoffed. "Take the holocron. Within it, there is a way to improve the Force Mask. If the Force decides to smile upon you it might be enough when you meet the Jedi."

"What are you going to do now, Plagueis?"

"I have some research in mind. I'll be in touch in a decade or three." The Muun cackled. "Though I might come to visit if the Jedi turn out to be too troublesome."

"What should we do if they reform the Order in something actually dangerous?" Sidious asked.

"We? There's a 'we' now, treacherous Apprentice?" Plagueis mocked.

"There's us and then there are the Jedi. Do you hate me more than them, my former Master?" Sidious smiled for the first time since entering the sanctum.

"An excellent question, Apprentice. What do I value more? Vengeance against the Jedi or against you? Wouldn't you want to know?" Plagueis image vanished along with his Force Signature. Only his amused cackle remained, echoing through the sanctum.

A Force Projection... So Plagueis really wasn't here, was he?

"Well, this could have gone better..." Sidious sneered. His attention focused on the largest Force Signature left. That had to be the holocron. His glowing yellow eyes focused and soon the darkness fled from his gaze. Was it a cat's paw or something useful? He glared at a dark pyramid placed upon a simple wooden table in the corner of the room. The holocron was deeply seeped in the Dark Side's presence. Even in a room saturated with its energies, it appeared like a dark star to Sidious' senses. Despite his best efforts, he could perceive no traps through the Force. If there was one, it was a subtle creation and certainly not of a type he could recognize. If that was the case, his Master was correct, Sidious had yet more to learn.

Damn Plagueis and his games!


	6. Chapter 2 Parts 3&4

**AN: Part 3 was betaed by Something8576 on the spacebattle forums. Thank you very much for the great work and time you put in cleaning up this update!**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Wars movies, TV series, books, comics or games. They all belong to their respective creators and/or copyright owners. I make no money from this story. It's not for sale or rent.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Crusaders of might and magic**

 **=KR=**

 **Part 3**

 **=KR=**

* * *

 **Slave quarter**

 **Mos Espa**

 **Tatooine**

A colourful crowd gathered in the pre-dawn chill gripping the desert. Sixty-three freed slaves, not counting the Skywalkers, and forty-one more whose owners weren't in Mos Espa last night. All of them were wrapped in various cloaks to fend off the cool air and some of Zelik's freed pleasure slaves did it to keep the sand and the coming scorching suns away from exposed skin. Most of the latter simply lacked any garb useful for even a short stroll in the desert and they were yet to borrow something more suitable than their usual revealing outfits.

"We can't leave them!" Padme spoke of the group whose chips were still active.

"I'm well aware what will happen to them if we do so." Veil agreed. "The descriptions of what 'making an example of them' were graphic enough."

"The active implants are tamper proof. Any shock strong enough to disable the electronics would cause detonation. That includes Ion blasts – the explosive inside reacts badly to such." Kira explained. "Simply removing it while active, well..."

"How do you know?" Padme wondered.

"Zelik was very helpful. He was eager to spill all his secrets." The Jedi responded primly. She didn't add that now she and her husband were a couple of million credits richer.

"We might have to risk it. At the most we're leaving for Mos Eisley this evening. We should be off world by dawn tomorrow." Delkatar cautioned.

"Are you going to use them as test subjects!?" Padme pointed at the smaller group of slaves, her voice full with righteous indignation.

"Preferably not. We'll see if any of their owners return before dusk and if we can locate an example of the equipment used for implanting these little bastards." He turned to look at the slaves. "Is there anyone in Mos Espa who implants the chips?"

The slaves furiously whispered between themselves, while Shmi did her best to reassure them.

"There was a... doctor who could do it, but he left a few years ago." An older Zabrak man said in a parched voice.

"Do you really think that such would have been useful?" Padme asked.

"Perhaps. If not, we would had him implant the chips in some of our resident slavers and test removal techniques on them." The bastard of a Jedi Master shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"Padme, if you have a better idea, we're all ears." Kira inquired. Going by her tone and piercing stare, she was actually interested in listening.

"I..." Padme stopped. What should she say? She didn't have an idea how to safely remove the explosives. It was obvious that leaving behind more than forty people to be tortured to death as an example wasn't an option. Did trying to save them justify torture? Experimenting and potentially killing people who might work for the local criminals just to put a meal on the table? "I don't know." She reluctantly admitted.

"It's not like in the stories, is it, Padme?" Kira smiled sadly. "For all our power, we aren't wizards who could simply wave our hands and solve all problems. No matter how often or how hard you try, your best might simply not be enough. We can't promise a happy ending for everyone. All we can do is our best and hope that in the end we would do more good than harm."

"Do you know where in Mos Eisley we might find such a 'doctor'?" Delkatar's question made them look his way.

"What's on your mind, dear?"

"Well, going in blind isn't the best idea. I think that it would be for the best if one of us flies ahead, secures transport off world and perhaps finds out how to safely remove the chips without the owners present."

"Now we do have the local currency to secure a passage..." Kira nodded.

Padme frowned. They did indeed. After the 'nicer' Jedi Master apparently looted all the slave owners she spoke with during the night. At least she swore she had to kill just a few who drew weapons on her and there were no cries of alarm so far to indicate someone found a massacre...

"That might be for the best..." Kira was saying. "Fine, you can go. Just make sure the whole city won't be on fire when we arrive tonight."

"I'll do my best to keep a low profile."

"I think I got my chip in Mos Eisley but I didn't see much of the place..." One of the pleasure slaves, a tall willowy Rodian woman spoke in a chirping Basic – something most of her species found very hard due to the shape of their mouths.

"Please tell me all you can recall, miss...?" Delkatar smiled charmingly at the young woman.

"Verr Arik, Master Jedi." She bowed. "All I can remember is..."

"Eager anticipation: Master! Can I come with you? It's been too long since I got to terminate any meatbags!" HK-47 strode through the crowd with Anakin walking behind him. The murderous machine looked decidedly odd – his plating was a mis-match of different armours scavenged by Watto's shop that made it look like as if assembled from the pieces of five different machines. Shiny silver plating gleamed in the few lights illuminating the crowd, red photoreceptors shone from a golden head that had a vague resemblance to a skull, one hand was blue, the other gold, and the distinctly different feet had a dull rusty colour.

"Well, you'll help me blend in..." The manic Jedi temporized.

"Take him and keep him as far away from me as possible or I won't be responsible for my actions." Kira ordered.

"Stunned realization: Master, for once I do agree with your infuriating mate! It must snow in hell as you were so fond of saying! Pleading inquiry: I can come, can't I, Master? Please?"

"Yes, HK, you can come. Go to this Zelik's mansion and liberate a fast speeder. Make sure the thing won't die on us on the way and meet me here ASAP."

"I'm sure you won't have any problems. Just ask nicely and say I sent you." Kira smiled sweetly.

The droid stared at her, then he turned at Delkatar. "Respectful inquiry: Master, she did it again, didn't she?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, HK." The response came in a tone of pure innocence.

For some reason Padme didn't believe it at all. Should she ask for details on what Kira did during the night? Did she really wanted to know?

"I merely asked a few polite questions; I'm a prim and proper lady, I'll have you know."

The assassin droid hurried to get out of sight without saying another word. Now Padme really wanted to know what polite questioning meant when Kira was involved, but was very afraid of the answers. She wisely decided to shelve any such questions until they were on Coruscant and she had the whole Jedi Order between herself and those two.

At least the two most unstable maniacs would be leaving soon... That was a silver lining, right? Yes, everything was better when she looked at it from the bright side...

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Part 4**

 **=KR=**

 **Outskirts**

 **Mos Eisley**

 **Tatooine**

If Mos Espa wasn't even a shadow of its former self, Mos Eisley had prospered in the millennia since Delkatar Veil saw it last. The city had at least tripled in size and it was surrounded by three meters tall walls to keep the sands and various undesirables at bay.

On their approach, they could see that the city was no less a contradiction today, than it was in the ancient past. To the east stood a huge stone dome where the spaceport hid from the ravages of the desert. It was surrounded by four gleaming towers superfluously aping the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. To the north stood a massive palace built in Hutt style. Black stone that looked like the bastard offspring of obsidian and granite clashed with shining metal to create something that only a Hutt might like.

Mos Eisley's not particularly tall skyline took a sharp dive to the west where most of the city's dwellers lived in a sprawling urban ghetto. To the south stood the Slave Quarter and if rumours were right – the largest and most profitable slave market in the whole sector.

Between the four extremes rose the city's commercial district – the centre was a haven for shopkeepers, cantinas, workshops and entertainment establishments catering for all kinds of tastes, especially those illegal in the Core.

Even when they were still kilometres away, the Jedi could sense a miasma of despair and misery clinging to certain parts of Mos Eisley. When they got closer, it was clear that over countless centuries the painful experiences of countless suffering beings etched themselves upon the very fabric of reality. The force there pulsed with mixed emotions – fear, pain, despair and sheer hopelessness radiated from the slave quarter. Close by, the commercial district whispered of forbidden pleasures and decadence rivalling that of Dromund Kaas during the height of the Sith Empire. In contrast, to the east and west the Force pulsed with a wicked mixture of depression, unrealized hope and anticipation.

That was just on the surface. Veil was almost afraid to delve deeper and examine how the Force in this place got so emotionally charged since his last visit. No. He was afraid, because he suspected the answer – Mos Eisley had been build up as a monument celebrating the failure of his cause.

That realisation shook him. Why no one picked up the torch and continued to liberate the slaves? Was it standing against such injustice too much to ask from the people of the Core once they were no longer threatened by the Sith!?

"Concerned inquiry: Master, you don't look too well. Perhaps we should blow up some meatbags! Gleeful conclusion: It never fails to improve my mood!"

The Jedi glared darkly at the city they were fast approaching. "Don't tempt me HK. Right not torching up the place sounds too good to pass up."

"Pleased statement: I knew you still got it in you, Master!"

Veil didn't answer and just drove towards the closest entrance. Getting inside, no questions asked was easy. Just HK being his cheerful self and a small bribe ensured that as far as everyone was concerned, they were just another mercenary and an unusually vicious combat droid; nothing out-of-place for Mos Eisley.

Reaching their first stop – the spaceport turned out to be more time-consuming than anticipated. Mos Eisley's streets were packed, which slowed their movement to a crawl. Even abandoning their vehicle wouldn't have helped much, it wasn't like Delkatar could even give the impression that he was anything but what he appeared to be by jumping around an moving like a Jedi in a hurry, which without an aircar or rocket pack was the only way to move faster through the throng of people, animals and vehicles packing the streets.

The slow progress only made it harder to handle all the emotions carved into the surrounding Force. It was at times like this when Delkatar sometimes wondered if the conservative members of the Order preaching non-intervention had a point. It was tempting to just leave this place and never come back, because just standing here among the crowd and passively feeling the Force of this place affected him. If he actually had to go to the slave market his control might easily slip again.

He knew what waited at the end of that path – the Dark Side was eager to sooth you and make the pain go away. You just had to trade your conscience and morals to it for power and not having a care in the world. Once, there was a time that it was even worth it or so he believed. It certainly helped him do what he had to on occasion when his conscience fought with what was necessary for the good of the Republic, for victory. Yet... if it wasn't for Kira he would have lost himself. Sooner rather than later, the necessary evils would have become a matter of course. Not because they were necessary any more, but because it was the easier way and eventually just because he could.

The Dark Side was insidious. It gave you what you needed in your hour of need and more importantly, it granted you what you thought you needed, what you wanted. Once if her wicked embrace, you didn't want to let go. There were no moral dilemmas. You no longer stood awake at night tormented by your actions during the war.

He understood better than most why so many Jedi were tempted to themselves from their emotions and the galaxy at large. He knew why they were often afraid to act, though the Jedi seldom put it that way. After all, fear led to the Dark Side. While technically true, that was such a hypocritical statement...

There were days Veil wondered how much better the Jedi were than their ancient enemy. The Sith sowed destruction and evil through their actions. The Jedi... too many of them let evil prosper when they had the means to oppose it yet did nothing. Out of fear from the Dark Side no less.

That wasn't a stance he could hold. For him, the dangers were worth it. When the Republic decided that it could be self-absorbed and uncaring, the Jedi had to be a shining example that would shame everyone into action – from the ordinary people on the streets to the most powerful Senators. They were meant to guide and protect the people of the galaxy, not only those privileged enough to be born in Republic space. The Jedi had to be outside, a visible example. They were meant to lead the way towards a better future, not hide in their temples.

He would withhold judgement for now, Delkatar decided. This was not his time, nor his Order or Republic. He would meet them face to face and hear their justifications. They had a thousand years of peace, without Sith coming out to burn everything they built. Yet, here he was in a place left to rot in a darkness rivalling that caused by the Sith. Such a crime couldn't be left unanswered. All the people suffering nearby in the slave quarter deserved their freedom even if blood had to be spilled to achieve it.

Compared to that, one man's conscience was a small price to pay.

For two hours Veil pondered his failure and that of the generations of Jedi and Republic Senators who lived and died while he and his wife were out of time. It took them that long to crawl up to the spaceport and find a place to park. He left HK to look after the speeder and went into the building to arrange transport to the Core.

Some things hadn't changed even after thousands of years. Money still talked. All he had to do was throw a bit around and soon multiple fixers were eager to help him contact 'reputable' captains. With the Force, separating the more or less legit ones from those ready to scam him was trivial; hiring two transports to the Core, no questions asked, was disturbingly easy if you had the means and he did possess them after Kira returned from her evening walk. One passenger transport would take the freed slaves to Corellia and another small and fast freighter would deliver the Queen's party to Coruscant.

It didn't even take much of haggling – just enough for appearance's sake and the most important part of his mission was done. Now it was time for the hard part – to locate a 'doctor' who knew enough about implanting the control chips. For that, he had to go to the slave quarter and the market at its centre.

On the way there, Delkatar steeled his resolve and busied his mind with all calming and focusing exercises his teachers on Coruscant before the Sack and later on Tython taught him.


	7. Chapter 2 Parts 5&6

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Wars movies, TV series, books, comics or games. They all belong to their respective creators and/or copyright owners. I make no money from this story. It's not for sale or rent.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Crusaders of might and magic**

 **=KR=**

 **Part 5**

 **=KR=**

* * *

 **Slave Bazaar**

 **Slave Quarter**

 **Mos Eisley**

 **Tatooine**

The Dark Side's presence was strong in that place. Walking through crowds of people eager to see sentient beings be sold as cattle, some of them clamouring to buy slaves, it made Veil feel slimy and dirty. Every fibre in his body screamed for him to do something. His conscience demanded it. Even the Dark Side whispered enticing encouragements. He knew it would be so easy to unleash his power. He could alter how people perceived him to cause fear and chaos. Then strike terror in the hearts of any guards and cut down anyone strong willed enough to resist.

However, then what? Even if he could remove the chips of every single slave in the market and there were thousands of them on display with more waiting in either pens nearby for the menials or in warehouses for the pleasure slaves who shouldn't be damaged by rough handling or exposure.

"HK, how many do you think?" Veil asked in a futile attempt to distract himself.

"Observation: It's hard to make a clear count with my current sensors, Master. A hundred, a hundred and twenty thousand people on the plaza. Perhaps ten to fifteen thousand slaves in the open."

That was actually a bit higher than Delkatar's guess. He somehow doubted that this was some kind of special day around here. Considering the climate and logistical challenge of watering many slaves unless it was expected they would be here only for a short time. This place alone would account for a few million people being sold each year... and Tatooine had never been a particularly large hub for the slave trade.

"Query: Will we act now, Master?"

"The situation is less than ideal." Veil bit off. The words tasted vile in his mouth. "We have a mission to complete."

How many of these people would be broken or dead by the time he could do something to help them? For how many of them a clean dead would be better than the fate that awaited them when sold?

The Dark Side coiled around the Jedi, ready to be taken. It would be so simple. She was right here. All he had to do was act and her might would be his for the taking. With her at his disposal, he couldn't fail. He could make the slavers pay, he could free the slaves... and then most of them would die because he couldn't get more than a fraction away before the Hutts retaliated and burned the place from orbit.

Afterwards... Veil knew his fury would have no bounds and that was what the Dark Side wanted. He knew her promises for the lies they were. Yet it was so tempting, when his heart cried at the injustice surrounding him. Why did the other Jedi allowed such a place to exist? His anger spiked at the very thought. Soon he would face the Council and have their answers.

While walking through the Bazaar saturated with the Dark Side of the Force and struggling with his emotions, Veil didn't notice the arrival of a presence shrouded by the same Darkness surrounding him.

* * *

 **=KR=**

Darth Maul merely noted the pleasant well of darkness centred upon the slave market. It never failed to give him a surge of power when he passed by.

The Sith Apprentice growled at the distraction. He had a mission and if he failed, his Master would punish him severely. Maul scoffed at the thought. How could a Jedi, even if they were ancient, be a match for the hatred and rage burning in his heart? He was a Sith! No Light abiding fool could ever stand up to him!

Maul channelled his displeasure and let his senses expand. This was Tatooine, a place steeped in the Dark Side ever since the so called Crusades when the Jedi demonstrated to the whole galaxy how spineless they were if the Sith weren't around to challenge them. In a place like this, it was actually quite easy to locate the Jedi. There was a brightly shining presence in the Force just a few hours away from Mos Eisley. The Sith grinned. If he hurried, he would be there by nightfall.

He got his speeder unloaded, secured his ship and headed into the desert, cursing his Master for not providing him with a proper combat vessel. Otherwise, he wouldn't need to sneak upon the Jedi and the Queen who was his real target.

* * *

 **=KR=**

"Statement: I believe it's this way, Master." HK-47 pointed to a two story building to the left. "I just caught a broadcast about a clinic fixing up all problems your slaves might have as well as a beacon leading straight to it."

"Good work." Veil grunted. This place was getting up to him and with every passing moment simply walking away was getting harder and harder, and that was just what he got from the Force. The smell – when they entered Mos Eisley it was bad enough, but he was able to ignore it. Here? The sweat and stench of unwashed bodies was nasty, however it was the fear he could smell in the air that got to him.

He was a Jedi! It was his duty to prevent such crimes and yet, intervening here and now would only get the people he wanted to help killed. The Dark Side, as strong as it was at this place, whispered in a way that was trivially easy to comprehend: the slaves might be better off dead... And that wasn't necessary a lie. Many were headed for short hard lives of labour and some pleasure slaves weren't going to last long once sold. It was one of the reasons why they were popular – after all you usually couldn't torture or kill your partners in most whorehouses across the galaxy but no one gave a damn what you did with your slaves...

Delkatar's fingers closed into fist and he clutched them with enough power to make the flexible metal of his gloves protest. The Force trembled around him ready to obey his commands.

Letting go and not unleashing his power then and there was among the hardest things he ever did. He was going to return, Veil vowed. And this time he was going to finish the job, no matter who or what stood in his way. Neither his morals, nor his conscience would let him do anything less.

"Let's go, HK." He looked at the droid and spoke in a dull, angry voice.

"Statement: As you command, Master." The assassin droid didn't fail to notice the yellow sheen around his Master's irises. It seemed that his Master would truly be back sooner rather than later. HK-47 was sure that when they returned to this place there would be a glorious slaughter of meatbags!

* * *

 **=KR=**

A pair of Gamorean guards stood in front of the clinic. They took one look at the approaching cloaked human and ancient instincts screamed inside their small brains. The guards glanced at each other and in silent agreement took a pointed step away from the door.

The scary human paid them no attention, however, the droid accompanying did speak. "Sad Statement: Bad meatbags!"

Crazy mercenaries, the guards concluded.

* * *

 **=KR=**

Inside the clinic they found a long waiting line. Some were regular people seeking treatments, others probably more or less well off slaves. The third group was made of chained people or those with shock-collars meant to keep them in line until their chip could be implanted. Those were the people who had armed guards keeping a watch over them. Some of them were young – boys and girls Anakin's age or even younger.

At the sight, Delkatar's hand went under his cloak and gripped his lightsaber.

"Eager Statement: Will we go wild, Master?" HK-47's voice echoed across the corridor.

"Not the time, not the place." Veil stated flatly, yet as he spoke all he wanted was to lash at the slavers and free their victims.

No matter what he did, the Dark Side would have her due. Failure tasted like ash in his mouth. This was all on him. He couldn't afford to fail ever again; too many innocent lives were at stake. This time he had to do things right so even if he and Kira vanished again, their cause would not fall apart, otherwise this horror would continue to repeat itself again and again for another four thousand years.

He slowly unclenched his fingers and released the hilt of the lightsaber. Interrogate the doctor and get out while there was a chance he could keep himself in check, that was all he could do. Yet, he couldn't.

Delkatar paused and looked at each of the people he couldn't save. He engraved their faces in his brain and vowed that he would bring them justice, no matter the cost.

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Part 6**

 **=KR=**

 **Clinic**

 **Slave Quarter**

 **Mos Eisley**

 **Tatooine**

Low off key humming sounded across the room. It was just loud enough to hear above the noise of an air scrubber and the quiet whine of a mobile sterilization unit that rig-zagged across the cabinet.

"That's all better, right?" Doctor Arin Ren beamed at his patient – a gorgeous blonde slave from one of his favourite brothels. The poor girl had the worse luck! This was her third visit this week alone and each time he came with a different sex-transmitted disease!

Her full lips pouted before she gave him a pained smile. "A bit. Thank you, Arin, dearest."

"Now, you need to take these three times a day for the next couple of days." Ren went to the red cupboard and retrieved a small case with strong antibiotics.

"I will. Do they have to be injections?" She pouted. "I hate needless."

"Sorry, we're out of the pills. I'm waiting a delivery, but it's late." Ren shrugged. "Now go rest. NEXT!" He shouted when Kelly got up with the help of her minder slash bodyguard and they left for the brothel.

"Doctor." An unfamiliar voice growled.

Ren sighed. It was one of those cases... He wondered if he would have to make another example...Hurkh... Something grasped his throat and slammed him into the wall.

"As you can see, I'm fresh out of patience today. Mercy too." A pair of dark eyes complete with yellowish tint glared at him. A cowled man stood in front of the closed door and had his empty hand extended in his direction. "So I'll ask nicely. Once."

"Whaht!?" Ren spluttered. A Jedi, here!? How!? Why!? This wasn't how Jedi were meant to act!

"Tell me all you know about the slave chips." The stranger spoke in a voice on edge.

Hells! It was actually worse! It was a Jedi who was a Crusader fanboy! Where were the Hutts when you needed them!?

"I doht..." Ren began.

"That was your one chance. I did mention we were out of patience and mercy today, didn't I?"

A vise gripped Ren's insides and he couldn't breath. His vision darkened and then he gasped in sweet air when the terrible sensation subdued.

"Talk!" The crazy Jedi ordered.

Ren talked. He would get to make an example of the bastard later...

Or perhaps not...

"What are you doing!?" Ren exclaimed.

"Testing." The man chuckled darkly and slammed the implantation device into Ren's neck.

Shuck. The Doctor screamed when the chip got stuck into a vertebra.

"Don't! Please! I told you everything I know! The chips are Jedi proof, I swear!"

"Lets put it to the test..."

"N..." Splat.

"Bloody Sithspawned monstrosity..." Veil growled and stared at a wall of gore splattered around a semi-circular telekinetic field he had created in front of him. It was a very good thing he hadn't completely lost it yet, or he would have got a lot of slaves killed. He knew that given enough time and resources, he could figure a way to safely remove armed chips even without the help of the slaves' masters.

Unfortunatelly, time was one of the things he conspicuously lacked. It was going to be bloody, emphasis on bloody, trial and error. The alternative was to leave forty men, women and children to be tortured to death as an example.

He picked up the implantation device, a case of inert chips and left. Behind him, the suspended gore fell to the ground adding to the mess.

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **The Zebulon**

 **Outskirts**

 **Mos Espa**

Padme watched through haunted eyes how the freed slaves boarded her yacht. She didn't know if Veil really failed, turned out to be incompetent or simply lied. It didn't really matter any more, did it? Kira had to remove the active chips from the forty odd slaves whose masters weren't around the hard way. The fact that they all volunteered, because they were terrified of what would happen if they were left behind didn't make it any better.

Only five of them survived and Padme watched how Kira tried and failed to save the rest of them. It wasn't even that she figured out how to do it safely by the end. To Padme's eyes it looked like the success was random, something confirmed by the older woman's evident frustration.

At least they were about to leave Tatooine behind for good. The one good thing Veil did was arrange transport. Right now he was at Mos Eisley's spaceport waiting with the ships captains to ensure they wouldn't run or something.

Her mind was a mess. Frustration, fear and anger fought with each other. How, why did this happen? How people could do such things to each other? It was simply insane!

There had to be a way to stop such madness from happening ever again! People shouldn't risk all but certain death, because the alternative was being tortured to dead for wanting to be free!

What was wrong with this place!?

"Your Majesty, get on board. We're about to have company." Padme turned to snap at Kira and halted in her tracks when she saw the woman's expression.

It was as haunted as her own and held no small amount of anger. It was anything but the image of a serene Jedi the woman usually showed to the world.

"What kind?"

"Someone stepped in the Dark Side. Quite angry too and he isn't my husband." Kira explained.

That didn't make any sense!

Kira simply pointed behind her back. Padme heard a quiet whine and suddenly a speeder bike came just as the last sun set and plunged the desert into twilight. A figure cloaked in expensive looking black fabric rode upon it and it looked like they drove straight at her!

"Get on board, now, Padme." Kira frowned at her and the tone was like a mother scolding an unruly child. Padme decided that discretion was the better part of valour and rant towards the ramp.

The speeder and the apparition ridding it came closer and closer until they got about forty metres away. Suddenly the bike froze as if it hit a wall and its rider flew forward as if carried by a rocket-pack. The man, a Zabrak, demonstrated an impossible amount of agility and inhuman reaction speed by twisting in the air and gracefully landing on his feet.

The stranger glared at Kira and puled a long... hilt from under his robes. He pressed a button and a ruby coloured blade came from each side.

"Dark Jedi. They're always a bother to deal with." Kira sighed. "Didn't I tell you to get on board, child?" Padme bristled at how the woman spoke to her. She was too entranced by the sight of the Zabrak to comply. Jedi who acted as anything but. A supposed Dark Jedi with some kind of lightsaber staff... what was next? The Sith Empire coming back from the Unknown Regions!? Why didn't the world make any sense?!

"Hi there!" Kira waved cheerfully, a terrible and sudden change compared to her expression of moments before. "Name's Kira Veil, Jedi Master. Who are you, boy?"

The Zabrak sneered. "Maul. Sith." He snarled.

To Padme's utter astonishment, Kira doubled down in laugher. "A Sith. You?" She laughed harder. "Thank, you dear boy. I needed that."

Were those tears in the woman's eyes?

Maul scowled. He threw away his heavy cloak to reveal black form fitting robes made of the same material. The self-styled Sith charged Kira, who was still busy laughing. Padme couldn't help it and shouted a warning only to stare in shock when the Zabrak hit an invisible barrier and bounced off.

"A Sith indeed." The Jedi scoffed. "Introduce yourself properly, boy. I've known many Sith in my day. You lack the passion and control to claim such a lofty tittle."


	8. Chapter 3 Parts 1&2

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Wars movies, TV series, books, comics or games. They all belong to their respective creators and/or copyright owners. I make no money from this story. It's not for sale or rent.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Into the twilight**

 **=KR=**

 **Part 1**

 **=KR=**

* * *

 **Zebulon**

 **Outskirts**

 **Mos Espa**

 **Tatooine**

A crimson blade burned in the twilight, yet its fire paled in comparison to the inferno ignited in the cold depths of Maul's heart. He braced himself and cooling sand crunched under his boots. The Jedi dared mock him!? Her words merely stroke the fires of his rage higher; made him more powerful.

"How long have you had your lightsaber, child?" The woman shook her head in exasperation. "Your stance is all kinds of wrong. You don't do conventional Djiem So with a lightsaber staff!"

Maul bared his teeth in a sneer. What did a Jedi know of lightsaber combat? She had to be a prodigy with telekinesis, but that was it! The Jedi lacked experience and drive to learn proper duelling! For one thousand years their opponents were just blaster totting fools!

The Jedi took a step forward and let her cloak pool behind her on the sand. Her appearance confused Maul. He hadn't seen a Jedi wear armour before. They all went for either robes or occasionally either a space or environmental suit when they had to. But armour? That wasn't something that those pacifistic fossils would ever wear.

This wasn't a show piece either. His Master had him train under or against some of the best mercenaries' money could buy. Maul knew decent armour when he saw it. It was well designed, quite heavy but he doubted it would constrict her mobility. While unlikely, it wasn't impossible that it might resist a lightsaber strike or two. He would have to aim either at the joints or her exposed neck... if she was any good with a blade. Maul found himself hoping that she was. He was hungry to prove himself and that could never happen if he slaughtered a weakling!

"Yes, I'm magnificent, I know. Now, quit staring like a hormonal teenager and come at me!" The woman taunted.

The Sith's smile turned vicious. He gathered the Force around himself to protect himself from any further telekinetic tricks and charged. The fool of a Jedi hadn't even drawn her weapon! So much for...

A blur of green was all the warning Maul got. The Force guided his blade, yet despite his rage giving him speed and strength, the Jedi met his strike and turned it around with contemptuous ease. His power warned him just in time to jump back and avoid an economic slash that would have cut him in half by only managed to cut off the lower half of his lightsaber staff.

"That was sloppy!" The woman scowled. "What did your Master teach you!?" She asked as if genuinely confused and flourished her lightsaber - a single one so what would she know about a saber-staff?

"More than yours ever did, Jedi!" Maul roared. His rage reached new heights and coiled like an angry serpent in his chest. The Dark Side was with him! He couldn't lose to a mere Jedi!

"Typical Dark Jedi, trading what little sense they've got for power they can't use!"

Maul saw red. She dared speak about power? She dared compare him to a Jedi!? The Dark Side's cold embrace surrounded him. Power flooded his veins and strengthened his limbs even further. When he moved, it was into a blur and he became a demon of destruction guided by his hatred. The Sith descended over the infuriating female and unleashed all his rage! No one, nothing could stand up to him! He struck once, twice, thrice with enough power to simply crush the strongest of guards. His blade moved too fast for the eye to register a blurry after-image.

The woman met each strike with a deft parry of her own. Her guard held and her hand didn't even buckle! Her hand! She was fending off his double handed strikes with just one hand! Pure shock broke Maul's rage. He stared in the woman's eyes and saw only disappointment.

"Is this all you've got, child?" She had the gall to kindly ask. "Sloppy doesn't even begin to cover it. Your stance has enough holes I can drive through a battleship!"

This belittlement was enough to bring back his anger to full power. Yet, before he could take advantage of it, an open palm strike slammed into his chest with the force of a truck and he flew back to skip over the sand like a stone thrown over the surface of a lake.

"Come at me again, properly this time! Show me you aren't an embarrassment to everyone who ever picked up a lightsaber!" The Jedi Ordered.

An unsettling calm descended upon Maul; it wasn't something he could even remember feeling before. He had consigned his whole life on experiencing his passions and using them to fuel his power. The Dark Side surrounding him recoiled from the woman and when he looked up at her from where he laid sprawled on the ground, he had to avert his eyes. In the Force she shone like a star; not an angry burning one, but with a soothing serenity if that was at all possible.

"Get back up, child, and show me your worth." Her tone wasn't taunting, merely curious.

The Sith got up and roared his defiance! "Enough, witch!" He spat. Even now she used tricks to rob him of his power! "There is no peace, only passion!" He roared the first verse of the Sith Code like a battle cry and jumped to his feet. Maul surrendered himself to the Dark Side and power surged through his body.

"There's passion, peace and serenity, boy." The Jedi countered and for the first time she went on the attack.

The brightly shining woman came to meet him and Maul felt fear. That emotion should have given him even more power. However, Sith had no fear, yet he was afraid.

They met in an explosion of sand. Lightsabers clashed blinding flashes and the air itself became heavy with the struggle between the two sides of the Force. Maul pit all the rage and fear in his heart against the gently glowing star that was the Jedi and found them lacking.

"Do you know the meaning of fear, child?" She spoke again in that damning kind voice. "You feel it when you are a vulnerable child on Korriban at the non-existent mercy of the Masters and Acolytes in the Sith Academy there. You are afraid when your father, the Emperor possesses your body for his own purposes. You should fear when your are a slip of a girl of ten and have to scrape up living on Nar Shaddaa, while the Sith hunt you down..." With every word, the Jedi slammed her blade into his own with just enough power to force him to take a step back. "You are afraid when you awake without recalling what you did and wonder if you murdered your friends!"

Each strike she committed to was elegant, economic and held more power than Maul could muster despite his rage. Her next attack brought him to his knees and he had to give everything he had to keep her emerald blade from slicing into his brain.

"Are you angry, child?" The woman smiled and her expression didn't belong to the face of any Jedi "Have you lost everything before? Have you seen your cause betrayed by those you spent a lifetime serving? Have you seen your family and friends lost to the mists of time without even graves left to honour them?"

For a brief moment, the shining star that was the woman's presence in the Force became something twisted and corrupted, something terrible, yet beautiful to behold. Fury the kind of he didn't know could exist roared at him and froze the blood in his veins. Maul stared at the woman and a black-hole in the Force, a black inky abyss stared back.

The terrifying sensation vanished as suddenly as it appeared and he was left staring at a pool of serene light. His mind refused to engage with what he just saw and the only thing he could do was find solace in his power. She could protect him from that monster! Maul lost himself in the embrace of his power. Her shadows allowed him to look aside and hide his terror. He could hear her clearly now. He had to run, get stronger and then return to take everything that Jedi had left before properly tasting vengeance for this humiliation!

"I see." Maul wasn't sure if he heard her soft words with his ears or if they sounded in his mind.

The Dark Side screamed a warning and he tried to roll away only to find himself frozen in place by a gleaming field of light.

"May the Force be with you on the other side, Maul." The Jedi's emerald blade fell down. The Sith screamed his defiance to the shining stars above. This wasn't how it was supposed to end! He was Si... He felt a moment of fiery agony then the Dark Side embraced him for one last time.

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Part 2**

 **=KR=**

 **Zebulon**

 **Outskirts**

 **Mos Espa**

 **Tatooine**

One slip, that was all it took and Kira's composure shattered.

Two days ago she lost everything but her husband. All her friends – gone. The few people she considered family – probably only dust remained. Kira doubted she could find their graves to pay proper respects.

Yet, she kept her emotions at bay.

The invasion of Naboo, by another Republic member no less, proved that even the Republic she swore to protect all those years ago was either gone or changed so much it might as well be. The last thing she and Delkatar had left then beside each other was the cause of liberty they picked up... only to find it in tatters. It was actually worse than if they hadn't attempted to free the slaves in the first place and that was on them. While other parties, long since dead, did share responsibility, it was the Veils who picked up the torch and started everything.

While it was among the hardest things she ever did, yet Kira didn't succumb to the temptation of the Dark Side and her promises to end the pain.

But that wasn't enough, was it? It was as if the Force mocked them. The hits came knocking one after another. In the end she couldn't save most of the slaves that were right there with her. Their chips kept exploding and something within them made a solution elude her.

It was vexing, infuriating.

When the Zabrak boy appeared, it was actually a relief. A Dark Jedi – she knew how to handle those; that was familiar and soothing. The boy claiming to be a Sith, it was highly amusing. It was the first time she genuinely laughed since ending up in this strange era.

Kira grimaced at the body crumpled at her feet. She knew better – keeping him alive for interrogation would have been the prudent thing to do. Yet, he had to spit in her face and surrender to the Dark Side when she gave him one last chance to prove he was something more than another power-obsessed maniac. She felt his anger and fear, how he let himself go and her control snapped.

It was unbecoming and foolish. Even now the Dark Side stirred deep within her where the frayed connection with her father used to be. Even years after the Emperor was killed, deep inside she was still firmly connected to the Dark Side, no matter how much she stove to walk in the light. The last few hours were much worse than usual – after he left to Mos Eisley, Delkatar slammed shut his end of their Force Bond. Kira knew he did it to keep her away from his own demons, however the lack of his presence in her mind left an ache that merely made controlling her own darkness all the harder.

They had to get away from this place and straighten up their heads before even thinking of coming back. Otherwise, well that didn't bear thinking about. Kira sighed. For some reason she felt that things might yet get worse before picking up.

She took a couple of minutes to police Maul's body and speeder for anything of intelligence or monetary value and got on board the Zebulon. It was high time they left Tatooine.

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Spaceport**

 **Mos Eisley**

 **Tatooine**

The various landing pads in the spaceport were nothing fancy. Only those for larger ship had anything but the most basic and necessary equipment present – just fuel storage, few light repulsor platforms for easier handling of cargo and

fire-suppression system that might or might not work. Otherwise, the domed landing-pads were empty.

"I was afraid that something would go wrong." Kira murmured at her husband's side. "It's been that kind of day."

"Me too, but it appears our new friends aren't interested in asking questions or causing trouble. All they want is an easy quiet job and to get paid with no strings attached." Delkatar whispered in her ear.

In front of them the former slaves were boarding an old Sullusian transport. It was a small cigar shaped freighter which had half its cargo hold rebuilt in passenger area for quick trips along the hyper-lanes. The former slaves had a bit of money each, courtesy of Zelik, who thanks to Kira suddenly found himself suffering from an acute case of conscience. If everything the Veils heard about the Green Jedi on Corellia, they should be able to help the slaves either set up new lives for themselves or those with families contact their relatives. The primary reason why Delkatar decided to send the freed slaves there, on a different ship, was simple – so far no one was hunting them and there was no reason to endanger them if the Queen's party ran into Federation related complication.

"There's still time for yet more problems, you know." Delkatar said. "This place's getting up to me." He admitted.

"I can feel it too, you know." Kira closed her eyes with a grimace. The Dark Side miasma, while centred around the Slave Quarter affected them both despite the distance. "I'm just glad you didn't do anything foolish."

"Are you sure about that?"

"I didn't have to help you secure the city, nor it was all on fire."

"Resigned statement: Master was boring today." HK-47 pipped up from the shadow where he was sulking.

"Oh. It's you. Couldn't you just lose him or something?" She groaned. Pretending that the murder-bot wasn't around seldom worked, especially once it opened its dirty mouth. Where did she leave that pacifist package?

"Kira, you know that he's worse without supervision." Her husband chided gently.

"Not what I meant and you know it." She huffed in annoyance.

"He's too useful to discard."

"Proud Statement: I'm the best at disposing of inconvenient meatbags!"

"I'll be very displeased if we actually need his services any time soon." Kira grumbled.

"Me too, love. Me, too."

"Indignant Statement: Hey! I'm useful!"

"That's the last, right?" Quiro Link, a plant-like lifeform and the captain of the larger transport asked after the slaves got on board.

"That's right." Delkatar disengaged himself from his wife and walked next to the tall rusty red being. "This is half the payment as promise. The rest is held in an InGal Bank account and will be released once I've got confirmation that you've reached Corellia and delivered the passengers. We'll still be travelling to Coruscant with your buddy so no worries about double-crossing you."

Link took the payment along with a data-chip containing the details of the account and checked them. "We've got a deal then. Have a save run."

"You too."

They shook hand and bark covered tentacle, and the Captain went up the ram of his ship, which slid up behind him.

"We're good to go, I hope?" Kira asked.

"If her 'majesty's' party is ready." Her husband answered putting more than enough sarcasm in his voice fool any listener that he was jesting, because who in their right mind would bring Royalty on Tatooine of all places?

A few minutes later, after the freed slaves left, the Veils were in a neighbouring hangar where Amidala's party minus the Zebulon's pilot waited.

"It's you!" Padme snarled and strode towards the Jedi.

"Me?" Delkatar repeated.

"You convinced Captain Panaka to remain behind with the Zebulon!" She forgot her fear of the Jedi and jabbed an accusing finger in his chest. Then she promptly winced when she struck his breastplate too hard.

"Well, it's your ship, your divine majesty." He laid it thick. "Besides, with Panaka being obvious in his search of parts, it will concentrate the Trade Federation's attention here on Tatooine after we've left. It might help us get to Coruscant unmolested. He did volunteer."

"He is one of my people!" Padme snapped.

"My job is to keep you in one piece, my Queen." Panaka interrupted. "If me playing bait means better odds for your safe arrival on Coruscant, then it's all right." He dutifully explained.

"You don't have to do it!"

"I guess I don't. It still makes sense. To get to Coruscant, you'll need to make multiple hyperspace jumps and cross at least two systems with sizeable Federation presence. Having them look here, for the Zebulon might help. All I need to do is be visible and keep my mouth shut about where you are for thirty or so hours."

"I won't have anyone else dies on my watch! I order you to..." Padme began.

"It's his call, your Majesty." Tycho interrupted. "Please get on board. This whole exercise would be pointless if something happens to you. We need to go. Think about what is happening on Naboo right now."

Padme growled, but eventually nodded and angry strode up the ramp.

"Is she this way all the time?" Kira asked not bothering to hide her amusement.

"Her heart is in the right place." Was all that Tycho said.

"Oh, I don't doubt that. It's just that her timing needs some work."

Her husband gently touched her back and nodded at the ship. They were finally out of this place.


	9. Chapter 3 Part 3

**AN: Feedback time. What do you think about the rough summary of the political situation in the Jedi Council? How do you think these people will react to the Veils and what they might suggest about not just Naboo but slavery in Hutt Space in particular and the Outer Rim in general?**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Wars movies, TV series, books, comics or games. They all belong to their respective creators and/or copyright owners. I make no money from this story. It's not for sale or rent.**

 **Chapter 3: Into the twilight**

 **=KR=**

 **Part 3**

 **=KR=**

* * *

 **The Temptress**

 **Bridge**

 **Low orbit**

 **Coruscant**

At a first glance, Coruscant still was the gleaming jewel I remembered. It was still surrounded by defensive stations, though any military ships that might be on station to protect the capital were lost in the virtual armada of arriving and leaving vessels that streamed up and down towards the thousands of spaceports dotting the surface. Huge freighters came in carrying food and consumer goods, while others left with the products of Coruscant's vast industrial zones.

Countless light shone brightly painting intricate patterns and even after all these years I could recognize some. The main cargo spaceport on that hemisphere was a gleaming tower of light with streams moving stars forming an fine web stretching in all directions.

The Jedi Temple and Senate were easy to see too. They were surrounded by shining beacons stabbing in the sky and keeping the night away as their part of Coruscant slid beyond the edge of daylight. As we descended the city-planet's skyline become more and more distinct. It was both familiar and strange. Some buildings were clearly recognizable to the Jedi packed in behind the Captain, even if they were further built up and taller than they remembered. Others were gone, replaced or hidden by newer and taller construction.

"I though Coruscant would have changed more." Kira whispered.

"It probably did, just in less obvious ways."

"You haven't been here lately?" The Captain, a human in his late fifties, asked.

"It feels like its been ages." Delkatar muttered.

"Dare I ask what work do you have with the Jedi?" The Captain fished for information.

"We're coming home after a very long sabbatical."

"Huh. I didn't peg you as Jedi. You give the vibe of a married couple."

"That we are." Kira smiled fondly.

"Wasn't that forbidden? We don't hear much about your kind besides wild rumours and even more distorted stories."

"We didn't let that stop us."

When they came closer, it became clear that the Jedi Temple hadn't really changed, at least in appearance, from what they remembered. It took them a few minutes to get clearance and then the Captain guided them into one of the hangars. Delkatar paused to pay the man, while the rest of the passengers disembarked. He hooked a hand around Kira's waiting arm and they descended the ramp.

A pair of Temple guards wearing ceremonial garb met them in the otherwise empty hangar.

The shorter of the two greeted in an easy going voice."Good evening, I'm Jedi Knight Pern. I'm glad you arrived safely. After we heard about the invasion..." He shrugged. "A Jedi Knight is on the way to guide you to meet the Council, Masters. Queen Amidala, we're relieved to receive you safely. We'll contact Senator Palpatine shortly to inform him of your arrival. I believe that the two of you will need to talk. There have been some startling development since you were forced to flee Naboo."

"We thank you for your consideration, Master Jedi Pern. Do you know what is happening to our home?" The Queen asked in a worried voice.

"The whole system has been dark for days now." The Temple Guard shook his head. "The Senate ordered investigation and forming a commission to carry it out, the Trade Federation Senator appeared to be supportive of such measures but that's..." Pern paused. "It might be better to hear it from your Senator, my lady. As I said, the situation with the Senate is complicated right now."

"We see. Then if it won't be an imposition, please take us somewhere where we can speak with Senator Palpatine. We are eager to learn what he has done for Naboo in our absence."

"By all means. This way, please follow me, my lady." Pern gave Amidala's double a respectful bow and headed towards the single door leading deeper into the Temple.

Meanwhile, the ancient Jedi simply observed the conversation and felt the building and its occupants through the Force. The Temple felt peaceful; it was a soothing beacon of light to their senses, the opposite of what they experienced on Tatooine. Standing there in the hangar, it made their experiences on that world feel distant, a tiny bit less important.

Before the Queen's party could leave, the door opened and a middle-aged man strode in. He had shoulder length greying brown hair tied in a ponytail. His relatively thing moustache and beard were more grey than anything, but despite the quite visible proof of his advancing age, the man looked very energetic and downright cheerful.

"You must be Jedi Masters Kira and Delkatar Veil! I'm Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn. Let me be among the first to welcome you back to the Jedi Temple!" The man's gaze moved from the married couple to the Skywalkers and HK-47 who stood beside them. "I don't believe we were introduced."

"These are Anakin and Shmi Skywalker, former slaves from Tatooine who we freed. And that's HK-47." Delkatar supplied.

Qui-Gon's expression perked up ever further at the news. "That's excellent. It's always good to hear someone managed to free a few unfortunate souls from slavery. Please follow me." Ginn made a shooing motion. "Perhaps the Skywalkers would like to go to the dinning hall for a bite to eat? I believe that your meeting with the Council might be a long one. Unless..." He glanced thoughtfully at Anakin.

"That might be for the best." Kira temporized.

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **High Council Chamber**

 **Jedi Temple**

 **Coruscant**

Eleven of the Twelve Jedi Masters making up the High Council sat in their traditional meeting place discussing current events. Only their newest member, the Togruta Shaak Ti, wasn't present due to a mission that took her to the Outer Rim.

At the place of honour facing the exit sat the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order – Yoda, who to most outsiders was the nominal leader of the Council. However, that was a misinterpretation of his position. While he was the oldest and supposedly the wisest among his peers, that merely meant that he held the ancient position of High Master, which was more commonly known as Grandmaster and explained the confusion. In practice, Yoda held a ceremonial post, though due his wisdom, experience and the high respect he held among his peers they usually not only listened to his advice but followed it.

The real leader of the Council, or as close a position as they actually had, was held by Mace Windu. The tall dark skinned human, was the latest Master of the Order, and as tradition dictated, he was elected to the post.

It was a position that Yoda held multiple times in the past and that was one of the primary reasons why to the most outsiders he was the de-facto leader of the Jedi.

To the Grandmaster's left sat the Chief Librarian of the Order, the oldest human Jedi currently alive bar none. She was the keeper of knowledge and one of the strongest adherents of order and tradition in the Temple.

Beside her sat two friends – the Jedi Masters Plo Koon and Ki-Adi-Mundi. They were among the more progressive and easy-going among the Council and often argued for more proactive and open policies. Plo Koon was a Kel Dorn male, whose breath-mask gave him a sinister appearance that often led people to get the wrong impression of him, for that Jedi Master was one of the kindest among the Order.

Master Mundi was an oddity. He was among a handful of Jedi allowed to marry, because of the very low numbers of his species. Because of the close relationship with his wives, he could be often seen defending various controversial stances. That along with his personality put him firmly in the faction arguing for a gradual change of how the Order as a whole conducted itself.

The tallest being in the room sat next to the two friends. His name was Yaref Poof and thanks to his Quermian origins he towered far above everyone else. He was another member of the reformists as they were sometimes called. As the most compassionate member of the Council that wasn't a surprise for anyone who knew him. Master Poof never failed to help innocents in need he met during his missions even if that was at the expense of his assignments.

While no one doubted the Quermian's devotion to the Jedi Order or the Republic, some Jedi were wary of him. Poof was commonly known to be too fond of harmless pranks often using his affinity in the mind arts to pull them off. He was perceived as a contradiction, because he never failed to make the point that affecting people's perceptions either through the Force or other means could have severe consequences, perhaps even death. Only Jedi in complete control of their abilities should ever try it, he often claimed. At the same time, his jokes often had another point – to remind his newest object of interest that things seldom were as they appeared and should that was something that a Jedi should always keep in mind.

Many of his peers saw his little pranks as a conduct unbecoming of a Jedi, much less a Master. More often than not, that perception tended to make them dig in their heels when he took a stance they disagreed with.

The last Jedi Master sitting at that side of the room was Coleman Trebor – a good natured Vurk who was an adept diplomat so good with his silver tongue that the occasions he had to resolve disputes with lightsaber instead of words could still be counted on the fingers of a single hand. He was in the uncommon position to disagree with his closest allies on the Council. Trebor was convinced that the Naboo crisis had a diplomatic solution and that it was just a matter of time before it was achieved. That was a stark contrast with Master Poof's own stance, considering that the Quermian was the staunchest believer in the Republic's inherent goodness.

In an unintentional divide, the other side of the Chamber held the more conservative numbers of the Council divided by Master Yaddle who usually took a neutral stance on most issues. She was the only other member of Yoda's species currently a Jedi and only second to him in wisdom and amount of respect received by their peers. She was a quiet and kind being, who strictly speaking had more in common with the reformists than the conservative Jedi she often sat with.

Master Yaddle was surrounded by Masters Ereth Koth and Saesse Tiin, the leaders of the conservatives. To her right sat the imposing and demonic figure of the male Iktotchi Tiin. His red skin, huge horns framing his face and pointed teeth gave an impression of a monster who crawled from below a child's bed instead of a respected Jedi Master. Saesse was a hard-headed stubborn man who reviled anyone who even thought about learning about the Dark Side of the Force. The only people he felt stronger about were outright Darksiders and the rare few who betrayed the Order.

Tiin was another contradiction. He had such a strong devotion to the Order that many saw it as outright obsession. Master Saesse felt that the only way to avoid the pitfalls of the Dark Side was to adhere as closely as possible to the conservative understanding of the Jedi Code. While he saw nothing wrong with Maser Mundi being married in order to help repopulate his endangered species, he was one of those who were most opposed to the man's close connection with his wives and children seeing it as a betrayal of what a Jedi Master must be. Occasionally he even admitted that his strong emotions concerning what he believed to be wrong with the Order were a personal failing of his he always strove to correct.

Master Ereth Koth sat between Masters Yaddle and Nu. The Zabrak was renowned for raising his kinds renowned mental discipline to new heights. He was an unusual addition of the Order – one of the Jedi who began their training at the unheard age of four after being found scrapping a living on Nar Shaddaa. He knew the darkness in the heart of the average person and considered the Jedi Order his salvation. Master Koth had close and strong bonds with most of his peers and believed that separating the affairs of the Jedi from those of the galaxy at large was the right call. As far as he was concerned, interfering in the affairs of the Republic unless the Senate called for it with a good reason could lead only to folly.

The last person in the conservative camp was another contradiction that made some of her allies uneasy. Jedi Master Depa Billaba was a human woman who was among the first Padawans Mace Windu took. Currently she was the only other wielder of his infamous Vaapad style and that meant that she was only the second Jedi in the Order with a reasonable understanding of the Dark Side – a reason she and Windu often clashed with their ally Tiin.

Many in the Order considered Master Billaba as one of the most enlightened and forward thinking Jedi of their age and as often as not she proved it by taking stands that ran contrary to her allies in the conservative camp. The primary reason why she usually supported a more conservative future for the Order, was her view that it wasn't the Jedi's place to lead the Republic, nor should they unnecessary meddle in its affairs. Instead, she claimed that for the foreseeable future they should be nothing more than guides and advisers. After all, for the past thousand years, the Jedi did their best to separate themselves from the levels of power in the Republic and she believed it was done for the right reasons.

It was this colourful group that debated over what they should do about the situation on Naboo. Masters Mundi, Koon and Poof argued that the Jedi had to step in and openly oppose the invasion, with actions and not just words.

In this particular case, they faced distension in the ranks, though Trebor's own stance wasn't unexpected. Nor was that of their occasional ally – Billaba's beliefs were well known, though the three reformists hoped to sway her to their side for this particular cause.

It was no big surprise that those believing most strongly in the spirit as well the letter of the reformation that shaped today's Order were opposed to any action without receiving a sanction from the Senate, something that looked more and more like a pipe dream. Perhaps if Senator Palpatine got elected as the next Chancellor he could force the Senate to act but until that happened the Republic wouldn't be able to offer more than a token aid.

To Master Yoda, the situation in the Council Chamber was a mirror image of what he saw not long ago in the Senate. His comrades were divided, though not as badly as the Senators themselves. It was still enough to lock the Council in debates about the right course of action... but what did that even mean? Morally the invasion of Naboo by another Republic member was abhorrent, there was no question about it. It was the morality of the Jedi's own response that was in question as well as the consequences. Yoda was raised with the tales of the New Sith Wars. He remembered Jedi Masters, some of whom were his teachers, who used to be Jedi Lords ruling as feudal lords. They told him cautionary tales of the decisions they had to make every day, of how insidious and corrupting the game of politics played in the Senate and between local governments could be.

The reason why they agreed to the reformation that stripped their power away was simple – they were afraid that the power they wielded was slowly corrupting them and in the long run would turn them as bad as the Sith they fought to defeat. With the Sith gone, the Jedi simply had to step away from political power or risk everything. It wasn't their role to rule the Republic. They were mediators, diplomats, silent guardians who stood outside the usual dirty games played on Coruscant and beyond.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Even four thousand years later, Revan's tale was a cautionary one. One of the best and brightest Jedi went to war against the will of the Council and led many of his peers astray. He did stop the Mandalorian Wars and saved many lives, that much was true. It was also true that during that conflict he fell and brought down his peers only for them to vanish and return a few years alter as Sith hell-bent on conquering the Republic.

The Order couldn't be hasty. They had to consider all options, all threats and dangers or whatever was currently happening on Naboo might become a mere footnote in history making the beginning of something so much worse.

The Council couldn't afford to make a mistake. Too many was happened over the past few decades. Too many Jedi were lost, either to death or to the madness of the Dark Side.

Yoda listened how Masters Mundi and Tiin argued their points. Both were good and he agreed with some arguments each of them made. From a certain point of view, they were both right too. Not helping Naboo would be a betrayal, a failure. Going to war to liberate it without the Senate's blessings and backing? That would be wrong too, it would betray all the Order stood for over Yoda's whole life and in the end might cause more harm than good. The Jedi weren't an army. Fighting a war wasn't their purpose. The Sith were gone.

Perhaps the ancient Jedi could bring another perspective? They should be arriving soon.


	10. Chapter 3 Part 4

**AN: I'll appreciate feedback on how I handled the meeting up to this point.**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Wars movies, TV series, books, comics or games. They all belong to their respective creators and/or copyright owners. I make no money from this story. It's not for sale or rent.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Into the twilight**

 **=KR=**

 **Part 4**

 **=KR=**

* * *

 **High Council Chamber**

 **Jedi Temple**

 **Coruscant**

Eleven Jedi Masters watched their ancient counterparts come to meet them like a love-struck couple out on an evening stroll. They had to know exactly what image they gave the Council and no one doubted it was a deliberate statement.

The reactions were predictably varied. Ki-Adi-Mundi merely nodded in appreciation, hiding a brief smile. Those two were another argument in favour that he wasn't wrong in loving his wives and children, something he had to defend a distressing amount of times with no end in sight. To his allies, the couple was a proof that the Jedi of the Old Republic might have held beliefs closer to their own than what the archives claimed. It was a good first impression.

Master Tiin saw something quite different. To him, this was a proof too, just for something else. Rash actions, going behind the Council's back as the records claimed the Veils did to start their little war, such acts always ended up in blood and tears. The attachment and love between those two, which was painfully obvious to everyone who glanced at them through the Force, was like a slap in the face. At least he couldn't detect any trace of the Dark Side in them, which was a plus, he guessed.

Others were merely curious or even hungry to her first hand accounts of an age long past, but first a short round of introductions was in order. Only then, Master Windu, as the Master of the Order, began the meeting in earnest. His face was blank of all expression and his tone was cool betraying nothing of how he felt.

"Masters Kira and Delkatar Veil, let me officially welcome you back into the Jedi Order."

The statement wasn't a simple formality, but both a welcome home and a request for the old Jedi Masters to acknowledge the Council's authority over the two of them.

"Master Windu, it's good to be back on Coruscant and see the Jedi standing proud even thousands of years later." The greying human deftly avoided accepting the Order's authority over him. A moment later, his wife did the same.

"That's true, dear. It warms my heart to see the Temple still acting as a shining beacon." The woman graced them with a dazzling smile.

Their piece said, both of the Old Republic Jedi simply waiting with accommodating smiles on their faces.

Windu simply nodded unperturbed. "While I'm sure many of us have questions about the past, duty demands that we debrief you about what happened on Naboo and during your trip back. I understand that you managed to escort Queen Amidala safely to Coruscant?"

"That we did, Master Windu." Kira answered. "When the Trade Federation blockaded Naboo, it was obvious that open resistance would be counter-productive. There was no meaningful system defence force to contests the orbitals and with the invaders acting in such a blatant breach of Republic law we were loath to provide them a target for orbital bombardment. When they destroyed a Republic ship in Orbit we believed to carry a Jedi delegation, that impression was naturally reinforced. For that reason we advised Queen Amidala to flee after ordering all local security forces to disperse in order to avoid destruction, unnecessary collateral damage and gather intelligence of the invaders activities and any further crimes."

Various Jedi Masters glanced at each other at that delivery. Put that way, it was a very sensible course of action. On the face of it, the Trade Federation's actions above Naboo were pure madness. Who in their right mind would bet the lives of countless innocents on the possibility that the madmen wouldn't descent even further in insanity and bombard any meaningful resistance from orbit? It was the call any Jedi worth the title should have made. Murmurs of either open approval or grudging respect could be heard coming from those who allowed themselves to show any reaction.

"Commendable. What happened next?" Mace Windu inquired.

"We boarded the Queen's Yacht and fled Naboo. Two squadrons of Royal Navy fighters took escort positions and it was only thanks to their sacrifice we managed to break through the blockade." Delkatar took up the tale. "Unfortunately none of them made it outside Naboo's gravity well. Further, the Zebulon, Queen Amidala's personal transport was damaged during our flight. We were forced to detour for repairs and the only destination within range with good odds of finding parts and evading Trade Federation attention was Tatooine." At mentioning that name, his smile drained off his face to be replaced by a severe mask.

"Such loss of life is always tragic." Master Trebor lowered his head at the senseless killing. That's why he always pushed for a diplomatic solution of any crisis! Spats between governments weren't worth the blood that could be spilled if things were left to go out of control or when diplomacy simply failed.

"Imagine our stunned disbelief when we found out that slavery not only still exists, but the lives of slaves across Hutt space had got much, much worse." Now Kira's expression shifted too. She was still smiling, yet her expression was a chilling one that could make even a Jedi Master's heart move.

"The continued existence of slavery outside the Republic is something we all regret." Master Tiin spoke in a measured tone. "It is a terrible crime, there is no denying that fact and attempting to do so would be terrible. However, our mandate is to seek and train Force Sensitive children, keep knowledge of the mysteries of the Force alive and act as advisers, mediators and diplomats when the Senate requires it. While we do often act as investigators and even law enforcement agents, that authority begins and ends within the borders of the Galactic Republic. It is not our place to dictate policy on all the independent governments making up the Republic by taking actions outside of our mandate and that is as things should be."

Tiin's allies, Masters Nu, Koth and even Windu, who usually did his best to stand neutral due to his position, as well as Master Billaba indicated their agreement with quiet murmurs or nods. Their opposing faction was quick to show how they felt too, because this concerned one of their fundamental problems with the Order they knew and loved.

Yaddle and Yoda were the only two people in the room who remained impassive and refused to comment. That by itself held significance, because as the two oldest and wisest among the Jedi, their wisdom, when they deigned to dispense it, held tremendous amount of power... which is why they often left the Council decide a course of action by itself with barely any input.

"I see." No one missed how Kira gripped her husband's arm tightly before she spoke. "May I ask, how does the Chancellor and Senate usually answer when you advise them that they should do their best to eradicate slavery from the face of the galaxy, along with piracy, drug trade and all the other despicable pass-times of committed daily in Hutt Space in particular and the Outer Rim in general?" The woman asked in a voice that was pure honey, though no one could mistake how she really felt about the situation.

"I believe we got off topic, Master Kira. However, to answer your question, it is not our place to suggest policy to the Republic government, merely advise them when asked for our input. I believe its been a long time since the Senate concerned itself with issues outside the Republic that didn't directly impact it. Could we please continue with your debriefing?"

Many a Jedi later decided that if they weren't Jedi Masters and thus above such things, the sweet, practically innocent smile Kira Veil shone at them after Windu's explanation would have terrified them.

"Just one more question, for clarity's sake if I may?" Delkatar's voice rang in the unexpected stifling silence that had fallen upon the chamber. "Am I to understand at this moment what happens in Hutt Space and most of the Outer Rim is officially no business of the Galactic Republic and thus the Jedi Order?" His delivery was through a calm, voice, serene even.

For some reason, Yoda would have found it less upsetting if the man shouted his question in anger. To him and Yaddle at least, the direction of this supposedly friendly interview was heading straight into foreboding territory and at least some Jedi Masters in the room either didn't notice it or didn't care.

"That is correct, Master Veil." That was Windu's succinct answer.

At least two conflicting agendas, the varying expectations of thirteen different beings... Yoda's ears twitched. A clash was probably inevitable. While this perhaps wasn't the best time, they were all Jedi. Getting everything in the open so it wouldn't fester should be for the best, he decided and continued to silently observe.

"I understand." Delkatar spoke softly. "In that case, my part of the story is simple. When we got to Tatooine, we searched for a way to either fix the Zebulon or to gain transport off-world. In the process we did find a young slave boy who is exceptionally strong in the Force, freed him, his mother and as many of the slaves present at Mos Espa – the nearest settlement to our landing site. After that, I made my way to Mos Eisley and arranged transport to Coruscant for the Queen's party and another to Corellia for the freed slaves."

"Did you sent the boy to Corellia or did you bring him here?" Master Billaba asked.

"Anakin and his mother, Shmi Skywalker should be at the mess hall along with Jedi Knight Jinn, who volunteered to escort them there."

"Good. We would like to test him later. How old is he?" Master Plo Koon asked.

"Nine." Kira answered. Her disturbing smile was still and place and showed no sign of vanishing any time soon from whatever space she summoned it.

"Old he is. Perhaps too old to train." Yoda spoke for the first time since introducing himself earlier.

"Too old?" Veil, the husband parroted. "At nine?" He made a show of raising both eyebrows. "I was almost thirty when I began my training. Granted, being stuck with the younglings for the first couple of years was a bit humbling but I think I turned all right."

"You should know of my story too." Kira's voice was sickeningly sweet. "I was trained as a Sith in my youth, one of the Emperor's children no less. When I managed to escape Korriban, I spent eight long years on Nar Shaddaa before my first Master found and saved me from a life of darkness."

Master Koth winced at that reminder of his own childhood. Granted, he was only four when hew was found and rescued, but still. This boy, Anakin perhaps deserved the same chance to be trained he received. Yet, there was a reason why the Jedi took children young enough not to remember any life outside the Order. Perhaps these two Jedi Masters could prove to them all that that policy was wrong, or at least that sometimes there were good reasons to make exceptions. Time would tell.

"At any rate we won't make any decisions about the boy before meeting him so Let us shelve that topic for the moment." Master Trebor brought them all back on track.

"I'm glad to hear that." For the barest of moments, Kira's smile shifted into something soft and genuine, before that terrible expression was back in force. "To answer your question, Master Windu... While my husband was looking after the safety of the Skywalkers, I went to ask all slave owners in Mos Espa to release their slaves. They did." She cast down her gaze. "Unfortunately not all were in attendance and we learned that if we left any slaves behind they would be likely made an example of. I attempted to remove he slave chips from those whose owners weren't at Mos Espa, however out of forty-one only three survived."

"I'm saddened to hear that." Master Yaddle spoke softly and most unusually in perfectly normal Basic instead of the strange version she and Yoda were so fond of.

"Me too, but that's a cold comfort for those who died." Kira continued. The Veils didn't fail to notice that none of the Jedi were really surprised of their tale about the lot of the slaves on Tatooine. Some were sad at the loss of life, others showed what might have been remorse for not doing something themselves, but most just had grim and stoic expressions on their faces. "Just before we left for Mos Espa with the freed slaves, we were confronted by a darksider."

Well, that did get everyone's attention.

"A Dark Jedi on Tatooine!?" Tiin surged to his feet unable to contain his sheer shock. "The last one we knew off was dispatched a few years ago!"

"He was after the Queen." Kira forged on, paying no attention to the concerned murmuring of the Council.

"Then a hunter hired by the Trade Federation?" Master Koon wondered aloud.

"So it seems. He did claim to be a Sith of all things." Again, Kira's smile cracked, this time becoming an amused one.

"You can't possibly believe that!" Master Nu scoffed. "The Sith are gone. Our predecessors saw to that almost a thousand years ago."

"I know Sith. I've been trained by some in my youth, I had to fight many after becoming a Jedi. I can assure you, that boy, Maul, I met on Tatooine was no Sith. He was merely a disturbed young man who left himself be consumed by the Dark Side. I did bring anything of intelligence value I found on his person. It is currently waiting in a cargo container in the hangar where we arrived."

None of the Jedi Masters felt even a hint of deception. At least they didn't have to deal with a real Sith. As Master Veil just pointed out, the both ancients came from an era when fighting the Sith was a common occurrence. They would know the difference between one and a mere Dark Jedi. What had the Masters concerned was the confirmation that the Veils' became members of the Order in an unconventional way and some feared what that might imply.

"We will certainly go over those items. May I be the first of us to congratulate you over riding us of such a beast?" Tiin smiled pleasantly. While the thought of Dark Jedi running around was a terrible one to behold, at least that one was dealt with. Master Tiin gave a deep bow of respect to Kira, then sat back in his chair and did his best to suppress the surge of anger and revulsion at the very thought of Dark Jedi being active. That the Council was none the wiser only made everything worse.

He was torn. At one had, the confirmation that he Veils were odd Jedi for even the terrible war-torn era they came from was unsettling. Their earlier questions implied that their views might clash with his vision of what the Order should be and how it must move forward. Yet, he had to acknowledge their service so far. Keeping a level head on Naboo and ensuring their actions wouldn't cause unnecessary destruction and suffering did them credit. After all, Tiin knew of some hot-heads in this very building who would have attempted to fight the invasion with likely terrible consequences.

"Those are all the important facts, I recon." Delkatar finished their brief report. Later, the Council would ask for more details but this was good enough for the time being.

"Thank you for your service, Masters." Windu gave them a sharp approving nod.

"What do you intent to do now that you are back where you belong?" Master Billaba inquired.

"Come to grips with what happened to us. Follow through on our promise to aid Queen Amidala and her people. After that?" Delkatar shrugged.

"We don't know enough of this new age to say for sure. Recover our mental balance and learn about how the galaxy changed over the past three thousand years." Kira added.

"We will help you acclimatize as best as we could." Master Billaba offered. "You are Jedi and will always have a place in the Temple."

"Thank you for this gracious offer, Master Billaba." Kira gave the woman a respectful bow.

"I'm not sure what was the policy back in your day, but some will view your marriage as an issue." Master Nu warned quietly. While she personally disapproved, she wasn't going to let that alienate them from her and prevent her from getting a first hand account of everything they experienced and knew of the past! Still, this was a topic that had to be discussed and better now than later.

"A lot of Jedi disapproved." Delkatar shrugged again.

"We didn't let that stop us." Kira's smile softened and she very pointedly leaned into her husband's side. "We won't let any such sentiments separate us."

"Even if it is against the Council's policy and the rules of today's Jedi Order?" Master Windu asked, while still keeping his inscrutable expression in place. In the Force he felt like an unshakable pillar that let no hint of emotion slip through.

"Even then." The husband and wife answered as one.

It soon became clear who was supportive of their situation, who found it distasteful at best and who was either ambivalent or had too good self-control to reveal their real feelings. The four Jedi Masters to the left obviously had no problem with the married couple. Their respective opposites were a mixed bag. Tiin and Koth were obviously bothered by the marriage. Master Billaba didn't seem to care, though it wasn't clear if it was because they hadn't broken a Council law when they did marry in the past or because she was fine with Jedi marrying in general.

Masters Yoda, Yaddle and Windu didn't show any hint of an emotion and Jocosta Nu looked like she didn't like it but wasn't bothered enough to do anything about it either.

When all was said and done, that was a better reception than any of the Veils expected. At least as far as their marriage was concerned. While there were deeper and more important issues they wanted to confront, the Old Republic Jedi already decided not to until they had made their peace with the situation and learned more about the future. However...

"May we inquire what the Jedi Order will do about the invasion of Naboo?" Delkatar asked.

"We're still debating the issue." Master Windu answered. "We haven't reached a satisfactory decision yet."

"Master Veil and Master Veil," Master Poof smiled at the little play of words. "You were there when the invasion began. As Jedi from the Old Republic, you do have a fresh, or at least different perspective. What would you do about this situation?"

"Join the Republic fleet that should be ready to depart soon and liberate Naboo." Delkatar replied without even thinking.

"What he said." Kira asked.

"Well, that at least is clear and to the point." Plo Koon allowed in a pleased tone.

"That won't be possible I'm afraid." Master Trebor explained. "The Senate is set to find diplomatic resolution. Chancellor Valorum faced a Vote of No Confidence and lost it. The Republic won't take an overt action before a new Chancellor is voted in and then it might take time for them to formulate a proper response. Hopefully before then the situation will be peacefully resolved. The Trade Federation Senator did state that the actions above Naboo were those of a rogue element of their fleet and it will be resolved with all haste..."

"The Trade Federation Senator?" Kira asked. The thought that a corporation could have an actual Senator was stunning.

"Who in their right mind allowed a Corporation to have a Senator!?" Delkatar wasn't far behind.

"That's been possible for a long, long time now." The Chief Librarian pointed out.

The husband and wife exchanged confused glances. It was painfully obvious that they would have a lot to learn before they could allow themselves to act overtly, no matter what problem they chose to tackle first.

A comm beeped, halting the discussion. Mace Windu fished out a communicator from his robes and answered.

"There has been some unsettling accusation levelled against our newest or should I say oldest members." Pern's voice sounded in the suddenly silent chamber. "Queen Amidala accuses Master Veil of torturing and murder of at least one Tatooine local. One of her handmaidens witnessed the incident and is currently giving a proper statement."

"I understand. Please send it to me the moment it is completed. I will look into it now." Mace Windu spoke in a frosty tone. He pocketed the communicator and levelled a cold glare at the Jedi standing in the centre of the chamber. "I believe you left some important details out of your debriefing, Master Veil."

"Did I? You did make clear that anything happening outside of the Republic's borders is of no consequence as far as the Republic or the Jedi Order are concerned?" Delkatar shot back.

The stunned silence was joined by a terrible sense of foreboding.


	11. Chapter 3 Parts 5&6

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Wars movies, TV series, books, comics or games. They all belong to their respective creators and/or copyright owners. I make no money from this story. It's not for sale or rent.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Into the twilight**

 **=KR=**

 **Part 5**

 **=KR=**

* * *

 **High Council Chamber**

 **Jedi Temple**

 **Coruscant**

The silence stifling the Council chamber was suffocating. The Council member stared at their ancient peers with shock, disbelief and in a few cases open disgust. A flat out denial might have coloured their reactions in a somewhat positive fashion, but rules lawyering, even if what Veil said was technically true?

"That's not quite the case, _Jedi_ _Veil._ " Mace Windu's frosty voice broke the silence. "We do have authority over all Jedi, except for the Green in the Corellian sector. Your actions reflect upon the whole Galactic Republic and the Order."

"Fascinating hypocrisy." Kira released her husband's arm and clapped slowly. "The suffering of billions of slaves is none of your concern, yet what a Jedi did to liberate a young Force Sensitive boy and his mother from slavery has you all in arms. Most astounding." Her expression held equal mix of sick fascination and wonder.

"Do you approve of torture then?" Master Billaba narrowed her eyes at Kira.

"Of course not!" The Old Republic Jedi scoffed. The clear sincerity in her voice took most Masters aback. "It shouldn't have happened. My husband shouldn't have lost his composure and lashed at the Toydarian slave owner Watto. Yet, I can't help it but wonder, why weren't you this appalled over the condition of the slaves suffering as we speak? It's as if you don't have problem with people suffering all over Hutt Space, yet my husband's single action suddenly merits your condemnation?"

"To answer your question, when I confronted slavery on Tatooine for the first time since our arrival into the future, my control snapped." Delkatar admitted. "I am not proud of my actions, even if they led to the safe release of Anakin and Shmi Skywalker into freedom." He spoke clearly and there was no trace of deception in his voice. "I would have gone into more detail earlier, before Master Windu so helpfully announced that what happens outside the Republic's borders didn't matter to the Jedi Order. You don't have jurisdiction in Hutt Space, you claim. The same is true where my wife and I are concerned. While we consider ourselves Jedi, we are not members of this Jedi Order."

Multiple hostile eyes stared at the husband and wife.

"Is that what you believe too, Master Kira?" Master Mundi asked calmly. His eyes betrayed his concern at the situation, however, he was among those who didn't show outright hostility.

"Most certainly, Master Mundi. I stand beside my husband. Let me be clear: At this time I do not recognize the authority of this Council and the Jedi Order you represent over either of us." Her voice was serene as if she didn't have a care in the world. "I believe the reasons should be painfully obvious."

"The question is do you believe you have authority over us? Especially over actions I committed on Tatooine in pursuit of a cause I believe to be just?" Delkatar asked.

Angry murmurs and shifting ensured.

"Torture, abhorrent practice it is." Yoda spoke in a low voice and thus forced everyone to keep quiet so they could hear him. "So is Slavery. A mistake you did, I believe, Master Veil. Grave one. A Dark Path you strode upon, understand that I do. Horrible slavery is. Uncertain I am, of our place, if any in removing it."

"We aren't the Jedi Order you remember, Masters Veil." Master Yaddle spoke in a soft voice that nevertheless demanded to be heard. "The Rusaan Reformation changed everything for us and I would argue it was for the better. We are subordinate to the Senate, that much is true. The Jedi should seldom intervene unless there are Darksiders about or the Republic government requests it. We separated ourselves from the galaxy at large, from the temptation and corruption of politics and power. It is true we don't go out to do as much good as some would prefer. However..." Yaddle paused and looked at everyone in the room in turn, "No one can deny that it was the right thing to do. In a few short decades we will celebrate a thousand years without a major war tearing the galaxy apart. There are no Sith to sow chaos and destruction. No Jedi who turned to the Dark Side was in a position to cause a significant amount of damage. There was no second Darth Revan, no Jedi Civil war, no more Sith borne from our own ranks. As a consequence, not only the Republic but the whole galaxy enjoys an unprecedented golden age. Regrettably, there is a price to pay for such a prosperity. Our predecessors knew it when they re-shaped the Jedi Order and the Jedi in what you see before you today."

All but a few Jedi Masters indicated their agreement. Only Mundi, Koon and Poof showed any sign of disagreement, yet none of them spoke aloud.

Delkatar and Kira glanced at each other and something passed between them.

"This is a nice speech, Master Yaddle. From where you stand, it might even be true." Kira frowned. "However, that's not what we saw since our arrival. While its entirely possible that our perception is skewed... What we saw of this golden age you describe was the unthinkable – a peaceful Republic member world invaded by another. A Corporation's private army shooting at and destroying a Republic military ship without facing immediate harsh response. We saw the lot of the slaves on Tatooine and we know it's only the tip of the iceberg. We felt how their suffering over generations warped the very Force in Mos Eisley into a horrible nexus of the Dark Side."

"In an ideal world we would be free to do something about it." Master Koth responded. "How many Republic lives should we sacrifice to liberate the slaves held in Hutt Space? Are their lives worth more than those of the Republic citizens? It is not our place to start what could very well become a war between the Republic and everyone in Hutt Space. Not even if the cause might be just."

"What price prosperity?" Delkatar asked. "Do you really believe that the Republic and you, the Jedi are so weak that you have to allow such crimes prosper and simply write off as none of your business? Is it that easy to ignore the suffering of billions of slaves when you can do something about it?" The question was earnest and made them think.

"Easy? Easy, you say?" Yoda asked. "No. Easy it is not. Force the Republic the price to pay unwilling I am." Yoda's ears dropped along with his so far stoic expression.

"The more things change, the more they stay the same I see." Delkatar muttered. "I just hope that the Senate has grown more enlightened over the centuries." He added in a barely heard whisper.

"For all its fault, the Senate did keep the peace as well as it could." Master Trebor said aloud.

"I'll reserve judgement until I've seen it and its history for myself. That said, I find it most curious, why did both the Jedi Order and Senate tend to cry to the heavens when it is the Sith keeping slaves? Why is it that then they raise armies even during an uneasy peace and use the liberation of the unfortunate slaves as a slogan to build support for war? Yet, here we are today, just as nearly four thousand years ago. The Sith are gone or as good as. Slavery still prospers, this time without their participation and suddenly it is no longer the Republic's or the Jedi's problem."

"An excellent, question Master Veil." Master Poof nodded his head making his long neck swing like a thin three swayed by strong winds. "I'm sure that our friends on the Council will give us all a satisfactory answer. But let us first solve the matter of your actions on Tatooine. It is necessary for us all to continue forward."

"You are correct, Master Poof. I already admitted that I did torture a man on Tatooine... outside the Republic's borders. Outside of your jurisdiction as Master Windu so helpfully explained. What Republic law did I break? Under what jurisdiction do you intend to prosecute me? And after you render judgement upon me, what are you going to do about all the slaves being mishandled on Tatooine even as we speak?" There was no concern in the man's voice, only curiosity.

Mace Windu glanced at Masters Tiin and Koth, then his gaze fell upon Billaba. Unsaid messages passed between them, before he looked at Master Yaddle. The tiny Jedi stared back with a frown.

"The two of you represent an unexpected challenge." Mater Windu spoke slowly, examining his worlds before he uttered them. "You are Jedi, no matter how..." he paused searching for the correct word, "un-ortodox. You are correct, Master Veil. You and Master Kira are not parts of our Jedi Order. You never were and I believe that in a court of law, you won't find it hard to argue that your Jedi Council has little to do with our besides the name. It has been thousands of years after all. Yet, Republic law dictates that you do fall under the authority of this Council. In the same time, there has been no accusations or complains from proper a Tatooine authorities." Windu grimaced. It wasn't like one was actually recognized by the Republic. Jabba the Hutt didn't really fit the bill and that crime-lord was the closest thing to government Tatooine had. "Strictly speaking, in the face of the law you have committed no crime we could prosecute you for."

At those words, the Council tensed. More than half did nod in acceptance of the legal argument if nothing else, yet none of them seemed ready to let a Jedi, any Jedi, get a pass over torturing a person.

"Nevertheless, as you yourself admitted to this body, you did torture a certain Toydarian Watto. We can't set a precedent and let a Jedi simply walk away after such a crime." Windu continued.

"Then we seem to be at an impasse, aren't we?" Delkatar raised a single eyebrow. "Speak plainly, Master Windu."

"All of us can sense your presence in the Force. We don't feel a trace of Dark Side taint, otherwise this would be a simple case." Mace continued unperturbed. His tone never rose, nor did his expression change. "The two of you are well aware that this isn't your time. The galaxy has changed over the thousands of years you missed. The same goes for the Republic and the Jedi as you already noted. You will remain as our guests to be monitored while you become accustomed to the realities of this day and age."

"A gilded cage until you are sure I won't snap and go full on Dark Jedi on you." Delkatar mused. "Interesting proposition."

"A suggestion you think this is?" Master Yoda asked. His ears perked in a moment of amusement.

Delkatar smiled in response and brushed off the topic. "Acceptable under one condition."

Windu narrowed his eyes at the ancient Jedi. "Speak."

"Our... prolonged visit as your guests will commence once the situation on Naboo has been resolved. We," Delkatar nodded towards his wife, "gave our word to the Queen that we will aid her even if the Senate and the Jedi refuse. You will not make us liers."

"Acceptable that is." Master Yoda spoke before anyone had a chance to either agree or protests.

Windu's expression remained impassive and he simply nodded. "So be it. However, if you deem it necessary to go accompany the Queen again, you will have Jedi supervision."

Kira beamed at the resolution. "That's an excellent suggestion, Master Windu."

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Part 6**

 **=KR=**

 **Naboo diplomatic suite**

 **Republica 500**

 **Coruscant**

Become the Mask; three simple words that embodied Plagueis' lesson. Sidious thought had learned it – after all that was the basis of the ability.

He had been wrong. Mastering the Mask meant actually becoming the persona you portrayed at least for a time. Mind, body and soul for those who believed in it. For all his knowledge and power, Sidious was unable to become the good-natured Senator he presented to the outside world even for a short amount of time. He needed a different solution for his meeting with the Old Republic Jedi, something he knew to be inevitable. That's why he improvised. If he couldn't become the Sheev Palpatine people thought they knew, then he had to be a different one. It wasn't about outright lying to the Jedi, but about deceiving them. For that, a part of the truth might be better or so he thought. Sidious was loath to admit it, but he wasn't confident that he could perfectly conceal his true nature from the ancients. That's why he decided to not even try. He did go over everything he could find about them and the very fact that they were supposed to be so very different from the Jedi he knew was both a blessing and a curse.

With Plagueis on the loose doing who knew what and Maul predictably dead – Sidious did feel his tools death not so long ago, he was left in a vulnerable position. His former Master was using him in the same way he used his 'Apprentice'. As far as Plagueis was concerned it was going to be a win-win situation and that wasn't something Sidious could allow.

While the time was short, he managed to craft a plan – a dangerous and audacious one, that made him feel truly alive for the first time in years. Just an hour ago, the Amidala chick confirmed that his idea truly had merit, when she contacted him from the Jedi Temple and not only demanded a report but complained of the Jedi Masters she had to be rescued by. Sidious actually found himself in equal measures looking and almost dreading meeting those Jedi. Torturing slavers... Such interesting Jedi the Veils were... But first, he had an irate Queen to manipulate, with the truth no less.

The Sith Lord stood up, and became his chosen Mask. Sidious submerged himself deep below the surface, safe from the senses of any Jedi. In his place surfaced Sheev Palpatine, Senator, Chancellor candidate and a Force Adept who didn't want to conform to this era Jedi's passive dogma. He was someone in whom the ancient Jedi might find a kindred spirit, an ally and confidante. After that, who knew what opportunities could open for him...

Minutes later, the doorbell chimed and Sheev hurried to open. It simply wouldn't do to make his Queen wait. He opened the door and smiled when she saw her standing in front of her double, who wore the full heavy and uncomfortable Royal regalia. Her expression was thunderous and not a little scared. How curious...

"Your Majesty!" Sheev exclaimed in relief and bowed deeply, ignoring his real monarch. "Its great to see you unharmed! Please come in!"

"Senator Palpatine." The double spoke in her Royal voice sounding every little bit the Queen she was supposed to be.

"Attend us."

Palpatine moved away from the door and waved the Royal party in. The Queen entered first followed by Tycho, the Commander of the Royal Guard and one of the few actually competent people Amidala surrounded herself with. The double entered next and behind her walked a group of four five Jedi. That was unexpected and explained the Queen's obvious displeasure. Two of them were mirror images of the Veils he saw recordings of. Master Mundi came behind them along with Jedi Knight Jinn and a young Jedi who had to be a Padawan.

Wasn't that interesting?

"Please be seated! Can I offer you refreshments?" Palpatine played the ever gracious host.

"Perhaps introductions are in order?" Asked the male Jedi he shouldn't know.

"I'm Senator Sheev Palpatine and it is my great honour to represent Naboo in front of the Republic Senate, Master Jedi." He dispensed another bow.

"I'm Jedi Master Delkatar Veil and this is my beautiful wife Jedi Master Kira Veil." The man out of time returned the bow and his wife curtsied with a shinning smile.

The other Jedi introduced themselves too and it was as Palpatine suspected, the boy was Jinn's Padawan. He found the presence of the Veils most interesting in light of his Queen's complains. Obviously they reached accommodation with the Order, which explained it. Oh, to be a fly on the wall of that Council meeting! Sheev knew it had to be just fascinating!

The moment they all sat in the living room, the double commanded in an imperious voice. "Senator Palpatine, explain to us what you have done to end the invasion of Naboo."

He did as bid. He told them how he argued for concrete actions, how Chancellor Valorum's power evaporated in the face of Senate obstructionism, how he saw no other option but to call a Vote of No Confidence after his pleas were met by deaf ears.

The Queen was shocked by his tale. She warily glanced at the Old Republic Jedi who simply nodded sadly in response.

"Senator," Kira asked in an entrancing voice. "What do you hope to achieve by calling such a vote?"

"A chance to do something constructive, Master Jedi. I do have some amount of support in the Senate and with the sympathy vote that would result over the invasion I do have a reasonable chance to be elected. If that happens, I might be the briefest serving Chancellor in the Republic's history, but I should be able to force the Senate into action and thus stop the invasion and remove the Trade Federation presence from Naboo." He responded honestly. Such overt actions would likely see him facing a Vote of No Confidence of his own and he might very well lose it, though it might very well be worth it in the long run.

"You believe it would come to that!?" The Queen exclaimed.

"I'm afraid of it." He nodded humbly. "Can we count on Jedi support at least?" Palpatine addressed the resident Order Members.

"My husband and I did pledge our support to Naboo's cause, however we can't speak for the Jedi Order." Kira said.

"Master Mundi?" Palpatine pleaded.

"The Council is still debating. Before coming here I did cast my vote in support of intervention, unfortunately I don't believe that one would happen without a Senate sanction. We are bound by Republic law." The tall Jedi sounded apologetic.

"I see." Palpatine slumped back into his seat dejected.

"At any rate Naboo would need help from the Republic. Even if the Council votes in your favour, we aren't an army. We can't fight a war for you."

"Do we have to?" Delkatar asked and gathered everyone's attention. "There are more than one way to assault an enemy in a secure position. Perhaps we can make the Trade Federation withdraw of their own volition... What can you tell me about how that corporation is set up? Who are the important people running it? The composition of the fleet blockading Naboo? It's strengths and weaknesses? What about its commander?"

"Officially? It's some kind of a rogue element and the Trade Federation is doing its best to solve the problem without any further loss of life. Unofficially? From what I hear, Nute Gunrey, the Trade Federation Viceroy and its de-facto leader is at Naboo as we speak. After last year there is no one left to keep him in check." Palpatine explained.

"What happened?" Kira inquired.

"The Trade Federation Board of Directors was assassinated just before they were to meet with representatives of Chancellor Valorum to discuss the new taxes and tolls levelled against certain corporate entities." Master Mundi was the one to answer.

"So we need to get to Gunrey then." Delkatar frowned.

"That might be a bit problematic if he's on one of those warships." Kira added.

"The Senate won't dispatch a fleet before there is a new Chancellor in power. If I believed that Valorum could convince them to do it, I wouldn't have..." Palpatine trailed off and lowered his head.

"While we wait, our people suffer. That is unacceptable, Senator." The double decreed.

"This can't be happening!" The Queen snapped and stood up. She began to pace in front of the window overlooking Coruscant. In the distance, the Jedi Temple's towers shone brightly in the night. She looked desperate and on edge.

"How can we help, your Majesty?" Delkatar put the charade to rest.

"Help? You?!" Padme exclaimed with an edge of desperation in her voice. "You should be locked up paying for your crime!"

"That might happen, once Naboo is free." The man's lips twitched in grim humour. "In their infinite wisdom, the Jedi Council decreed that I should be merely monitored so I would not slide towards the Dark Side again."

"It's not funny, damn you!" The Queen glared at the Jedi.

"Queen Amidala, please forgive my husband's misplaced sense of humour. We are here as we promised and we will see Naboo liberated. Say what you will about our actions but we will act. You know that." Kira's voice was a soothing lullaby that was enough to make Padme stop and think.

The young monarch glared at the Jedi. Her face betrayed her inner turmoil, showing for those with eyes to see that she was about to shatter. "Why?" Padme pleaded. "Why do you have to be right!? Why is the universe so cruel!?"

In a blink of an eye, Kira was up and engulfing the Queen in a motherly embrace. "I don't know." She soothed. "But it will be all right. We're here to make it better, child. It is our solemn duty."

"I think a brief recess would be for the best?" Delkatar suggested.


	12. Chapter 4 Parts 1&2

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Wars movies, TV series, books, comics or games. They all belong to their respective creators and/or copyright owners. I make no money from this story. It's not for sale or rent.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

 **=KR=**

 **Part 1**

 **=KR=**

* * *

 **Jedi Temple**

 **Coruscant**

Despite the late hour, the Jedi Temple was abuzz with rumours. The recent troubles on Naboo were enough to keep many a Jedi up at night, but the news of a pair of Old Republic Jedi Masters surfacing on that world just a day before the blockade made sure that everyone in the building kept very rapt attention on the unfolding crisis. For Jedi Master Dooku, the following few days were both filled with hope and disappointment. The ancient Jedi held the promise of a dream come true, a chance to glimpse in the past and hopefully shock the Order out of its complacency.

Unfortunatelly, Dooku didn't put much stock in such a dream. He knew better by now. For ten long years he had to find new reasons' no to leave the Order. Ever since that disastrous mission on Galidraan when the Jedi Order and he himself were deceived by the governor to engage in battle the True Mandalorians hired by the man, Dooku lost his illusions. Eleven Jedi and all but two of the most honourable Mandalorians alive died on that forsaken day, yet even now, a decade later there were mysteries surrounding that débâcle that still eluded him. It was as if neither the Council nor the Senate particularly cared. The end result was the rise of the pacifist New Mandalorians led by Satine Kryze and that was all that mattered to them.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the aftermath of that battle was the last straw and he couldn't recommend his Padawan Komari Vosa for knighthood. He knew she had inappropriate romantic feelings towards him, which by itself wouldn't have been enough to disqualify her as far as he was concerned, however she demonstrated that she was unable to keep her often explosive personality in check under pressure. The Council did agree and couple of years later Komari went on a mission to Baltizaar in an attempt to prove them all wrong. That turned to be another utter débâcle for the Order. More Jedi died pointless deaths and while the situation was eventually resolved, Vosa vanished and was presumed death. Regrettably, Dooku had to agree. It has been a long, long time since he could sense anything through their bond.

To him, that mess was just another example of the Council wasting Jedi lives over politics. How many Jedi had to die when they were thrown in battle without sufficient training and support, just because the Senate finally decided that a situation had grown grave enough to merit their intervention!?

The only reason Dooku was still a part of the Order was his shaky belief that he could yet do something good as a Jedi, perhaps even change the Order from inside. The latest events shook that belief to the core. Naboo invaded, the Trade Federation attempting to kill three Jedi and only failing due to caution advised by the Old Republic people, yet the Council _debated._ The Senate did the same instead of acting. What would it take for them to take a note and actually do something useful? The Sith rising from the dead and invading Coruscant!?

He only hoped that the Old Republic Jedi might finally force the Council to change. Otherwise, Dooku and the Jedi might have to part ways. He was the sole heir to his family's vast fortune and tittle; if he claimed them, then he might be able to make some kind of difference. That had to be better than doing nothing as a Jedi!

This was the last chance he was willing to give his comrades before walking his own way. He only hoped they would finally raise up to the challenge...

Meanwhile, he had a small errand to run for the Council. Apparently a small group of interesting people arrived along with the ancient Jedi and one was of particular interest.

When Master Dooku walked inside, the huge mess hall meant to sit tens of thousands was all but empty. Only a single table was occupied by a small group of unfamiliar people minded by one of the Temple Guards. They were a weathered woman in dusty clothes, young boy blond boy and a colourful droid that stood as a silent guardian behind them.

The youngling was the one of note – the moment Dooku's gaze fell upon him, he could sense the Force sleeping within him. So these were the guests brought by the Old Republic Jedi and the reason he was here – the Council wanted him to bring the boy in for evaluation.

"Good evening." Dooku smiled kindly. "I am Jedi Master Dooku. Are you Shmi and Anakin Skywalker?"

"We are, Master Jedi." The woman stood up from the bench and bowed. The boy fished another spoonful of food before grinning his way. The Council would inevitably grumble that he was too old to train, what a bother. Dooku wondered how long would take them to make up their minds this time.

"The council requested your presence, young man." He nodded at Anakin.

"ME!? Why!?" The boy exclaimed, his mouth still full. That earned him a scowl from his mother as it was appropriate. Such bad manners at that age were unbecoming!

"They would want to test you to see if you can be a Jedi I recon." Dooku explained.

"A JEDI?! ME?" Anakin exclaimed.

Dooku could clearly hear the capital words. He already pitied whoever would have to train him if the Council didn't mess things up. Considering that the Old Republic Jedi brought the kid and his mother with them, Dooku had the inkling that Anakin would be trained one way or another no matter what the Council thought. That might even serve as a useful wake up call for them...

"That's certainly possible." He allowed, while keeping back a frown. When the boy thought about becoming a Jedi there was a trace of blood lust along with the glee radiating from his little form. Was that just because where the Anakin's lived until now? Going by their clothes they weren't well off which implied hard life. What was the rumour he heard? That they were from Tatooine? Then hopefully a vapour farmer family instead of something else... "Now if you're finished with your dinner, please follow me." He gestured towards the main entrance. "I hear you met a pair of unusual Jedi? It must have been simply fascinating..." Dooku decided to gather some information from the source instead of relying in rumours.

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Naboo diplomatic residence**

 **Republica 500**

 **Coruscant**

Kira led the Queen into the bedroom, pushed her to sit on the bed and plopped on it beside her. She drew the young monarch into another hug and crooned in her ear. "You can tell auntie Kira what really bothers you, my dear."

Padme shook. "What isn't wrong!? My home was just invaded! I have no idea what is happening to my people and family! The Senate and the Jedi do nothing about it! What's wrong with you two for that matter!?" The young girl snapped.

"You had to start with the hard questions first, didn't you?" The Jedi smiled good-naturedly. "I can't give you a better answer about the first than your Senator did. Back in our time, such a thing would have never been allowed. If a corporation invaded a Republic member? The navy, army and the Jedi Order would have crushed them as an example for anyone crazy enough to think they could get away with something like that. What's happening right now is so far out of the realm of my experience I still have trouble believing it." Kira sighed. Her hand idly brushed Padme's hair in a soothing caress.

"All I've been taught about the Senate and the Republic tells me that they should be helping us right now, not whatever they're doing!" Padme groaned in frustration. "The same is true about the Jedi!"

"How much of that was 'common' knowledge, personal beliefs and wishful thinking, compared to facts, I wonder?"

"Too much apparently..." Padme sulked. In spite of herself she leaned into the calming caress. "It will be days before the election, perhaps even longer before Palpatine can make the Senate actually do something about the invasion all the while my people are suffering!" She collapsed on herself and added in a small, vulnerable voice: "If he gets elected in the first place..."

"I'm reluctant to admit it but the Jedi of this time are right... They don't strike me as an army, neither in training or bearing. My husband and I will be beside you and we will help you save your people, Padme. However, there are only two of us. We can't take on a fleet for you. Perhaps a ship or two if we can get on board."

"The Senate... they won't send the Judicial forces in strength soon enough, would they?" Padme bit her lip. What was she to do now? Naboo was a peaceful world. The same was true for their allies. They lacked the strength to contest the Separatist blockade military... What did Delkatar say? Find another way? Who had the fleet to liberate Naboo? Why weren't they acting? What would it take to make them take notice and help?

On their flight from Naboo, during the time stuck on Tatooine and while travelling to Coruscant, she had been convinced that the Senate and Jedi would save the day, only for Palpatine and the Council to shatter her illusions. Was everything she taught to respect and believe in a cruel lie? She promised herself to find a peaceful way to resolve the crisis and now everything and everyone was conspiring against her. This couldn't be right! Veil couldn't have a good point, not about this!

"Shhh..." Kira hugged her tighter. "We will find a way to help your people, Padme."

"Not a right one, we won't." The words came in a voice chock full with broken dreams and shattering innocence.

* * *

 **=KR=**

 **Part 2**

 **=KR=**

 **Naboo diplomatic residence**

 **Republica 500**

 **Coruscant**

Four Jedi a handful of handmaidens and a tired Chief or Royal Security watched their host as he explained all the gritty details that led to the invasion of Naboo, at least as far as he knew.

"The abolition of various free trade zones, increase of taxation and tolls, it hit the Trade Federation hard. To their credit, they did try to negotiate and as far as I'm aware it was in good faith, unless until their Board of Directors got assassinated. That effectively broke negotiations and all attempts to overturn those legislations failed. It doesn't help that the Senate isn't what you are familiar with, Master Veil." Palpatine grimaced. "For years now its getting steadily worse and worse. It's all politics and people caring only about the interests of their local governments or corporations. The dialogue and unity that made the system work is nowhere to be found. If Valorum wasn't tied down by baseless accusations of corruption after he spent all his political capital arranging the summit at Eriadu where the assassination happened, it might have been different. But now?" He looked warily at the Jedi. "I'm afraid that your presence at Naboo didn't help. You heard them – most of the Senators were more concerned by the perception that Valorum sent you there without first receiving their blessing. They don't care that you could have died or that a Republic ship was lost with all hands. Frankly, it's disgusting!" Palpatine spat.

"That can't be!" The young Padawan spluttered.

'Ah, to be that young and stupid again, hopefully not.' Palpatine thought.

"I find it hard to believe too, Obi-Wan, but we were there. We saw it for ourselves." Master Jinn chided.

Veil simply face-palmed. "And here I thought that for once, the Senate might actually be more reasonable than the Jedi Council. "Hopefully, you'll be able to do something about this mess if you're elected, Senator Palpatine. That would take time I take it?"

"That's correct, Master Veil. Best case scenario, we'll have a new Chancellor in three days. Then it would take time for them to assume powers and do something, but only if someone receives enough of the vote in the first place. Otherwise, we might be stuck with another round or two of debates and elections. Still, it would be faster than waiting for a commission to form and for the Trade Federation and their allies to run out of procedures to slow down action. The courts would take even longer." Palpatine confirmed. He told the plain truth too. It was astounding that this bureaucratic nightmare was of the Republic's own making and had nothing to do with Sith interference. It was actually a feature of the system meant to limit the power of the Republic after the reformation that reshaped the galaxy after the New Sith Wars.

"Can you arrange a meeting between us and the Trade Federation Senator?" Veil asked.

"Between the Jedi and him? I can try but its unlikely that he'll accept."

"Between me or my wife and him." The ancient Jedi clarified.

"There is a difference?" Palpatine's eyebrows attempted to hide in his hairline.

"That's a matter of debate in the Council." Master Mundi interfered.

"I will do my best, Master Jedi. Perhaps as a concerned party?" Palpatine offered.

"That might be for the best. Which systems possess large enough navies that they might spare a strong force to liberate Naboo if the political will exists? Do any of them have Senators who might be willing to help? Kuat, Corellia, Fondor, Alsakar?" The oldest Jedi in the room inquired.

"Those are the usual suspects, true. Kuat is more likely to side with the Trade Federation or be neutral because of the legislations that caused this mess. Fondor... they do have the military power, however I don't believe they will aid us without an incentive and we simply can't offer them one good enough. Alaskar... They're in the middle of an election and won't act until their next president takes power. I'm not sure when it was added but its in their constitution – the current president has their powers significantly curtailed until their successor is ready to assume power, unless their sector is directly threatened. Corellia... that's a possibility. Their Senator – Ben Iblis is relatively new to the post, he was elected just couple of years ago and he's a firebrand. He might aid us if we present our plea properly. It is another question if he'll be able to convince his government to act if we convince him to help us. The internal workings of Corellian politics have been confusing to outsiders for as long as I can remember."

"Make that at least four thousand years then." Delkatar added. "I'll appreciate it if you can arrange a meeting between us, your Queen and Senator Iblis."

"First I'll have to clear it with the Queen, but I should be able to speak with both Senators about a private meeting with you, Master Jedi, even if she disagrees with your suggestions on how to proceed." Palpatine nodded thoughtfully. "In fact I'm certain I'll be able to arrange a meeting with Iblis either tomorrow or the day after at the latest."

"Acquiring Corellian support, either in the senate or direct military intervention might work." Master Mundi spoke after thinking things over. "However, I must caution you, Master Veil, that the Senate won't take kindly to such overt Jedi interference even if you don't consider yourself a member of our Order. It is simply not the done thing in this day and age."

"That much I gathered." Came the dry response. "Times change. Perhaps it is high time for the Jedi to take a more active role."

"I couldn't agree more, Master Veil!" Palpatine eagerly agreed. "I'm afraid that unless something is done, the situation with the Senate would get much worse before something forces it to improve."

"Some people on the Council have been pushing for more pro-active stance for years now." Master Mundi admitted. "However, so far our efforts came to nothing. Many of my fellow masters see the long peace as a proof that isolationism was and still is the best path for the Jedi Order."

"Please correct me if I'm wrong, Master Mundi, but haven't the past couple of decades been less that peaceful?" Palpatine needled.

"It's not me you need to convince, Senator Palpatine. I wholeheartedly agree." Mundi's huge head bobbed as he nodded.

The bedroom's door opened and Padme walked in, carrying herself as the Queen she was. Her composure was restored and there was no trace of the breaking girl who Kira led inside twenty minutes ago. A very pleased and proud looking Jedi Master walked in a step behind the monarch.

"We've made up our mind." Amidala spoke in her Royal voice. "Senator Palpatine, we ask of you to do your best in your bit for Chancellorship. Within reason and the law, we will back any deal you need to make in order to facilitate your successful election. We hope that once you hold the position of Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic you will keep the plight of Naboo, of our people, close to your heart."

"I listen and obey, your Majesty!" Palpatine jumped to his feet and offered a deep and respectful bow.

The Queen's eyes zeroed upon the Jedi.

"Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, we beg of you, that you will offer you aid in resolving the current crisis peacefully. We hope to meet with the Trade Federation Senator and end the crisis in a civilized and reasoned way."

"It will be an honour to act as advisers and mediators, Your Majesty. I will rely your request to the Jedi Council with all haste." Master Mundi stood up and offered a proper bow of his own.

"Finally, Jedi Masters Kira and Delkatar Veil, we would ask a boon of you. Will you act as our shield in these dark times? Will you offer us your expertise in finding a peaceful solution of the invasion of our home? And if that fails will you act as our sword in the liberation of our people?" Queen Amidala's speech was archaic and ritualistic.

The Veils met each other eyes, nodded and bowed to the Queen with hands placed above their hearts. "It will be our solemn honour, Queen Amidala. We are forever bound by our duty to protect the innocent and bring justice to the wicked."


	13. Chapter 4 Part 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Wars movies, TV series, books, comics or games. They all belong to their respective creators and/or copyright owners. I make no money from this story. It's not for sale or rent.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

 **=KR=**

 **Part 3**

 **=KR=**

* * *

 **Senator Palpatine's aircar**

 **Coruscant**

After leaving his guests home to go execute his orders, Palpatine had some time to think. Even now, more than a hundred kilometres away from Republica 500 and the Jedi, he had his improved mask firmly in place. It was a distinctly weird experience – as if he was a new, different person. So much in fact that it got him thinking. Oh, he knew all about being a Sith, of being Sidious, just... that was something distant; as if a part of him was asleep.

For the first time in years, more than a decade really, he could think clearly, without his hatred of the Jedi clouding his mind. Oh, the Order had to go, that much Palpatine and Sidious agreed on. Their fanatical insistence of controlling all Force Sensitives in the Republic who had a shred of Jedi training was problematic... and he was no Jedi. Revealing himself while the Jedi were in power, even by accident would at the very least see his political career see an untimely death, with himself forced into exile if he was lucky. If not... All the Sith histories were clear on that point – as far as the Jedi were concerned, they would suffer no Sith to live outside a tightly locked down and utterly secure cell, then they would throw away the key and pat themselves on the back for a job well done!

However, now the plan had to change. Originally, once becoming a Chancellor, he had to set up the stage for a galaxy-wide civil war, which in turn would allow him to complete the groundwork for transforming the Republic in the First Galactic Empire, with him in charge of course. With those two fossils crawling out of the woodwork and Plagueis vanishing in the ether, there were complications...

Palpatine smiled to himself. When other people might have seen a major obstacle in their path, he saw _opportunities!_ The civil war he desired would have multiple purposes – create fear and chaos, distract everyone and nicely gather most people who would either have the inclination or the means to initially oppose the formation of his Empire, demonize and crush them. In fact such a conflict was vital to his plans... and the means to realize it literally dropped on his doorstep a few hours ago.

As long as his mask held, Palpatine was going to present himself as a friendly and supportive sort. Who wouldn't want to eradicate slavery from the face of the galaxy? He would drum support for the ancients' Crusade and as historical precedent showed, all sorts of hot-heads who might eventually become troublesome would rally to the cause and go fight and die in Hutt Space. It would take some tweaking and careful planning but he might even arrange his new Jedi friends as the focal point of the civil war he needed. Sheev already knew where a lot of the bodies were buried, who buried them and of the skeletons in the wardrobes of a significant number of Senators. With Plagueis at large, his former master was in unique position to take the blame for any of Sidious Sith shenanigans... What would the Jedi do when, not if, the Senate's corruption was suddenly exposed along with some hint from their good friend Sheev that a Sith Lord might in fact be pulling the strings from behind the scenes despite his best efforts to make the Senate and the Republic as a whole actually work? He would need to think about it but there would have to be a way to force those two Jedi to oppose a corrupt and decadent Republic... for its own good of course...

But first, he had to present himself not only to his new friends but everyone else as someone reasonable and capable. Resolving the situation on Naboo in a peaceful and legal way would get him further support when the election day came. That's why he was on his way to have a word or two with Lott Dod – the Trade Federation Senator.

Speaking of the overgrown toad – there was the Neimoidian's residence. Sheev transited lanes and headed for the overly-large palatial building, which while built without sparing any expense demonstrated a startling lack of taste. The place was massive, opulent and an eyesore in this part of Coruscant's skyline.

He landed, plastered a pleasant smile on his face and exited to meet a pair of droid guards. Getting to meet Dod was going to be an exercise of frustration, he just knew it...

* * *

 **=KR=**

For half an hour until he finally was graced with his colleague's presence, he was proven right. It was an excellent thing he had his mask practically bolted on or he would have been sorely tempted to burn the whole place to the ground with every single occupant still inside. The dumb droids were bad enough. Dod's retainers... Sheev was doing his absolute best to erase their condescending words from his mind before he did something he would very much enjoy until the Jedi came to investigate his handiwork.

"Senator Palpatine." Dod walked from the office where Sheev had to wait while the Neimoidian played a little power-game. The amphibian Senator wore his customary ridiculously expensive robes – made of Tyrian violet cloth, which was possibly the most expensive and hard to obtain natural fabric in the galaxy. Dod had his purple representative mantle draped on too – a not too subtle indicator of his status.

Finally, Palpatine let his mask slip a bit.

"Senator Dod." He nodded curtly. "Let us retire to your office so we can speak candidly." Sidious reinforced his words with a hint of the Force and the tall, spindly toad in front of him stared at him in confusion. Eventually the Neimoidian nodded.

"Leave us. We've got important things to discuss." Dod ordered his retainers, who immediately protested being excluded. "NOW!" Lott barked.

The hangers on scattered and the Senators retired to the office.

At least that place was decorated with a hint of taste, though it looked utterly alien to Palpatine's human sensibilities. There was simply something wrong in the way the colours and the shape of the furniture clashed that made him feel a hint of unease. With the Force, he was able to ignore that unusual emotion and concentrate on the important things.

"What do you want?" Dod went behind his desk, sat down and shook his head, before giving a suspicious look to his guest; there was no trace of the usual oily quality that better suited a snake-oil salesman in the Neimoidian's voice.

"I won't mice words." A hint of Sidious appeared as Palpatine smiled at his host. "I would very hard try to remain civil as my upbringing demands and you most certainly don't deserve."

"Don't waste my time, Palpatine!" Dod snapped.

"The Trade Federation in general and your friend the Viceroy in particular, miscalculated. Expecting the backing of a Sith of all people to save you? One of your allies went after my Queen while she was stranded on Tatooine two days ago and got his head cut off for his trouble."

Dod blanched. "There were two of them?!"

"For your sake I hope not. Do you know who did it? I'm sure you've heard of them considering the company you prefer – the infamous Trade Barons of the Outer Rim..." Palpatine shook his head in a mock-disappointment.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." The Neimoidian denied.

"A few thousand years ago, a certain pair of Crusaders vanished while their forces were consolidating after their first round of... liberations in Hutt Space. I know for a fact that at least couple of your friends whose ancestors began as slavers still celebrate that day and you're often a guest there." Palpatine demonstrated a bit of his knowledge of how the Trade Federation worthies spent their times. It was only logical to know such things before choosing them as patsies for not only the Naboo affair but potential figurehead for the planned for civil war.

"Those are respectable businessmen! What people distantly related to them did hundreds or even thousands of years ago is of no consequence. No one chooses their relatives." Dod reasonably pointed out. He was already recovering by the brief touch of the Force Sidious used.

"It's not me you want to convince, my dear colleague." Palpatine laid it thick. "It's the people who turned on Naboo just a day before Viceroy Gunrey began his ill advised blockade." Sheev's smile was all teeth and he knew that it would disturb Dod.

"What people?" Lott asked warily. His whole posture screamed that he didn't like where that conversation was going, yet was curious to see if Palpatine did have a point.

"A pair of lost Jedi Masters. A certain Delkatar and Kira Veil who were very put upon to figure out that some kind of hyperspace accident not only sent them into the future but their cause collapsed. Why, I personally met them just a few hours ago and they're currently guests at my flat along with my dear Queen. The tales they told me..." As he continued to speak, Sheev's smile grew more and more cheerful.

"That can't be..." Dod shook his head.

"Jedi. They do weird things all the time." Palpatine shrugged. "But it gets better!" He declared with a flourish. "Those two aren't bound by the laws that keeps the Jedi nice and safe as long as the Chancellor doesn't request their help. They also pledged their help to liberate Naboo and bring the Trade Federation to justice." He leaned forward and whispered conspirationally. "They really don't play by the rules. Here just for a few days and they already tortured a few slavers while stuck on Tatooine and raring to go on another Crusade, though before that happens they are keen on making a dry run against the Trade Federation."

"The Senate won't stand for that!"

"The Jedi Order apparently refused to sanction them... and the next Chancellor might not be friendly to your interests. Nor would they be mired by accusations of corruption... not to mention that they wouldn't have spent all their political capital already, very much unlike Valorum." Palpatine explained as if to a child, though it was redundant.

Whatever else you could say about Dod, the man was a slick political operator; it was just that this time he was stuck fixing a mess that was already without salvaging. That was the case the moment Palpatine met the old Jedi in person and decided to cut off his Trade Federation related losses.

"We'll see about that!" Dod suddenly stood up. "There are laws keeping the Jedi in check for a reason!"

"Keeping the Jedi Order in check you mean. Those two aren't members and from what I gather, their unnatural powers might very well make them two of the most powerful people in the galaxy." Palpatine added salt to the wound.

"That's quite enough." Dod finally took control of his wits. "You didn't come here to gloat. What do you want, Palpatine?"

Ah, finally. "Your Sith backer, Darth Sidious, also known as Hugo Damask, made himself scarce the moment when he learned about the ancient Jedi turning up. They cut apart his apprentice without braking sweat too. You won't see any help from that corner and with him gone, I'm free to run for Chancellor without his influence mucking things up."

Dod's eyes widened. "You made a deal with him too!" He declared.

"A deal? No. I was offered help to save Naboo from your friends and all I had to do in exchange was owe him a few favours once I became a Chancellor. You were played, my friend."

"We were set up, weren't we?" Dod lowered his gaze in silent contemplation. "What did the Sith want to accomplish?"

"I can make an educated guess – he wants control over the Senate. If he was really behind the Trade Federation invasion and then his support turned out to be instrumental for my election, why he would own me or I would see myself facing charges of treason." Palpatine smiled wryly. "That still leaves you with a big problem."

"Why did you tell me all that?"

"The truth shall set me free. I will be no ones pawn, my friend."

"We both know that statement has very distant relationship with the truth."

"Is it so hard to believe that while I may be as selfish, power-thirsty bastard as they come, I do care for my home and want your invasion gone yesterday?" All cheer was suddenly gone from Palpatine's face and voice and he glowered at the Neimoidian who quailed under the glare.

"I see... What do you expect me to do? Without the Sith's backing our position is likely to become untenable!"

"You did well to imply that either the Viceroy went on the deep end or there was a major malfunction in the mainframe controlling your droids and ships at Naboo. I'm afraid that while Gunrey might be a lost cause, the Trade Federation doesn't need to go down in flames with him."

"You're going to make me an offer I can't refuse, aren't you?"

"Oh, you can most certainly refuse!" Palpatine's smile was back, but no one could accuse it of being a nice one. It was all Sidious.

The Neimoidian squirmed. Sheev knew what was passing through the man's mind – he was weighting pros and cons, available political support that could be blackmailed or bought, the odds of getting away of accusing him of working with the Sith... something the Jedi might not believe yet considering their dismissal of Maul as a Dark Jedi with delusions of grandeur...

Palpatine knew he was playing a very dangerous game. If Dod actually went spreading tales of him working with the Sith... he was actually going to admit to the ancient Jedi the same thing he "confessed" to his host, perhaps along with admitting that he was a Force Sensitive who was somewhat self-taught and that Plagueis wanted him as an apprentice as well as the next Chancellor. With a bit of luck he could be able to occasionally operate as a Sith too and blaming his acts on his former master. He thought it was a nice touch of accusing Plagues of being Sidious... When all was said and done, he was planting the seeds of his future plans, which admittedly were far from finalized. In fact, it might even be for the better if the ancient Jedi figured he was a Force wielder sooner rather than later, especially once he could demonstrate that he was not only in position to help continue with their Crusade but eager to do it in fact. All to remove slavery from the face of the galaxy, heh. Unless he was very much mistaken, that would exacerbate the rift forming between the Council and the old pair. He knew his enemies well enough and it was more likely for the Jedi Order to shatter under internal strain than the Council voting to end their self imposed hermit ways. Of course, then there were the laws governing what the Jedi could and couldn't do, which would eventually be a nice point of friction between everyone...

"You want to throw Gunrey in the spawning pits to be eaten by the Grubs." Apparently Dod got to a decision already. "I might reluctantly agree with that sentiment. The Trade Federation can't be led to ruin over his actions."

"I'm glad we see eye to eye on this. Speaking about the Federation, are there any junior directors on Coruscant or close enough to get here before tomorrow at noon at the latests?" Palpatine inquired.

"Ilroth's been planet-side ever since the board got assassinated. He should be in the building as we speak."

"Good. We'll need to present an united front for the Senate. Please do call him in once we've decided what to do with Gurney."

"It's we now?" Dod smiled mirthlessly. "I'll repeat myself, what do you really want, Palpatine?"

"A great many things, my new friend. A great many things."

"What do I get out of this?"

"Well, lets start with the obvious – if we preserve the Trade Federation you can continue to represent it to the Senate with all the privileges and bonuses that entails. We can probably keep you off the radar of a pair of Jedi with no restrain and nothing really to keep them in check, though if you try backstabbing me, I'll gleefully throw you to them." Palpatine leaned forward and whispered couple of sentences to Dod. "I don't think the Crusaders would approve, not at all. Why, they might think it's for the best they handle that before even thinking of going problem solving in the Outer Rim."

"I'll play along." Dod glared. He was the one supposed to be blackmailing people, not the other way around. While he might be able to use Palpatine's admission against the man... the truth was he was the one with more to use. So he would bid his time and seek better opportunities. However, first he had to make sure that Gunrey went down hard or he would be the one thrown as food for the Grubs.


End file.
